Oraclke March 2023

Thursday, 23 February 2023 was a very special day for Southend’s residents and beyond. It saw the official launch of the Spotlight Radiotherapy Appeal which, when reaching its £600,000 target, will be among one of the first NHS cancer centres at Southend Hospital, to receive 3 ground-breaking Surface Guided Radiation Therapy Systems.

I appeal to all residents to get involved and contribute in any way you can. The sooner these machines are purchased the quicker they will help any family member or friend who may need radiotherapy treatment. To get involved, donate and to learn more about the Spotlight Appeal please visit www.spotlightappeal.org. Turn to page 9 for the full story.

Oracle’s competition this month has been kindly donated by Edd Court, Personal Trainer. He also offers Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS). WIN, 2 x EMS sessions worth £70 and EddCourt PTI T-shirt and Hoodie worth £55. For further information on this body changing technology. Please visit the website for further information on this and Edd’s other services: www.eddcourtpti.com.

To enter the Oracle/EddCourtPT competition visit: www.oraclepublications.co.uk/competition.

Closing date 31 March 2023, over 18’s only. Happy Mother’s Day on Sunday, March 19!

Emma Wynne-Morgan Publisher

07967 568255

Thorpe Hall School will be 100 years old in 2025, and already plans are underway for celebrations and events to bring students and staff, the school’s alumni, and the wider community together to mark the big occasion.

Founded at the request of Thorpe Bay residents in 1925, the school first opened its doors with a cohort of just six boys under the headship of the Rev. E de Russet, a respected Free Church Minister and educationalist. Today, Thorpe Hall is a thriving co-educational, independent school with nearly 500 students on roll supported by over 120 dedicated staff. It has a separate Day Nursery for children aged 2 to 4, a Preparatory School for pupils from 5 to 11, and a Senior School taking students through to GCSE. Each area

of the school has been recognised with a national award from the Independent Schools Association for innovation and excellence, including most recently an award marking the school’s exemplary work to support pupils’ mental health and wellbeing.

The number of students and demand for places is at an all-time high. Current Headteacher Stephen Duckitt, who joined the school last September, has already implemented many new initiatives to take Thorpe Hall forward into its next exciting chapter.

“For me, high-quality education is about giving all learners the ability to thrive. It is about helping children develop a broad range of skills for life and providing lots of opportunities to build positive self-worth and belief in themselves and their abilities. Nurturing their talents, providing an effective environment to support wellbeing, and encouraging ‘stretch and challenge’ in every aspect of the school experience lies at the heart of a dynamic education. That starts in our Nursery and extends throughout our Prep and Senior Schools.”

Stephen Duckitt, Headteacher

Calling all Old Thorpehallians

Thorpe Hall hopes to collate ‘100 THS Stories’ by the end of its centenary year and is keen to hear from Old Thorpehallians everywhere. Search ‘Alumni’ at www.thorpehallschool.co.uk and register to receive news and updates about the school’s centenary plans.

Take a closer look at Thorpe Hall’s award-winning provision for children aged 2 to 5

Early Years Open Mornings for Nursery & Reception Classes

Saturday 11th March & Saturday 10th June from 10am to 12pm

Take a tour of our Nursery and Reception facilities, meet our excellent staff, and discover how Thorpe Hall School supports our youngest learners at the very start of their educational journey.

Search ‘Open Days’ at www.thorpehallschool.co.uk

Is a Will enough?

Assets not protected by a Trust, face attack from...

! Your home being sold to pay for your long term care costs

! The chance that your assets won’t reach your children, grandchildren and other relatives, but end up in the wrong hands!

(Bloodline Planning)

! Creditors or Bankruptcy claims

! The divorce or separation settlements of future generations

! Further Inheritance Tax bills

Trusts

The strategic use of Trusts can ensure that your children and grandchildren are able to benefit completely from the inheritance you want them to receive and at the same time, protect the family home and other assets from being lost to the costs of long term care.

Friendly and professional service

When estate planning, it is important that you can rely on and trust the adviser you choose. Countrywide offers a friendly and professional service including

l Wills

l Lasting Powers of Attorney

l Trusts

l Probate & Funeral Plans

We are confidential and reliable and give the best possible advice at the time you need it most.

So, don’t leave it too late! To arrange an informal chat at no cost or for any further information or advice, please feel free to contact me on 01277 600966.

by Clive Rowe in association with Countrywide SE LLP

Life-changing £600,000 appeal to improve cancer patient treatment launches

A new major fundraising campaign to buy state-of-the-art radiotherapy equipment for treating cancer patients across mid and south Essex was launched on Thursday 23 February.

If successful, the Spotlight Radiotherapy Appeal will mean that Southend Hospital would be among one of the first NHS cancer centres to have this cutting-edge technology; providing superior, ground-breaking radiation oncology treatment to over 2,500 patients a year by 2025.

Southend Hospital Charitable Foundation, which has funded big building projects and vital medical equipment over the last 25 years, is behind the campaign and needs to raise £600,000 to buy three surface guided radiation therapy (SGRT) systems.

More than 90 regular supporters, volunteers and trustees of the Foundation attended the Spotlight Appeal launch event at Southend Hospital to hear from clinicians about the benefits of SGRT. The new technology tracks a patient’s position with pinpoint accuracy during treatment, making sure that radiation reaches exactly the right place while avoiding vital organs.

The new technology will also help cut treatment times and waiting lists because SGRT reduces the need for repeat imaging.

Current radiotherapy means patients have at least three small tattoos to position them correctly – leaving them with a permanent reminder of their cancer treatment – but that would no longer be needed with the SGRT system, which tracks the skin’s surface using special infrared 3D cameras to ensure patients are always in the correct position.

Patients receiving radiotherapy to the head, neck or throat can also wear an open-faced mask, which is less claustrophobic than the current full-face mask.

End of full-face masks

Karen Liesching-Schroder, 50, a former patient at Southend’s cancer care unit, explained how this new equipment would make such a big difference to the lives of patient receiving treatment.

From left to right: Emma Chaplin, Associate Director of Nursing for Cancer. Alan Tobias, OBE Deputy Chair MSE FT and Chair Charitable Funds Committee. Nicky Whilde, Head of Radiotherapy Physics. Emma Wynne-Morgan, Deputy Chair Southend Hospital Charitable Foundation.

Here’s some ways to help the Foundation appeal:

l Make a donation or set up a standing order.

l Taking part in one of our upcoming events.

l Encourage your workplace or community group to advertise events, display collection tins or become an official appeal sponsor.

l Join us as a volunteer and help us raise funds and awareness through bucket collections and community stalls.

l Or you can fundraise yourself in any way you like; whatever takes your fancy, from charity car boot sales to taking on a sky-dive, a sponsored walk to a sporting challenge – the options are endless!

Karen, from Rochford, was treated with radiotherapy in 2016, following surgery to remove a portion of her tongue after being diagnosed with tongue cancer. This meant she had to wear a bespoke, full-face mask during all 30 of her radiotherapy sessions. She said: “I remember having the mask placed over my head, neck and shoulders and then clamped down on my first session, I felt so claustrophobic,” said the Mouth Cancer Foundation Support Group administrator.

“Knowing that SGRT will mean an end to full-face masks is such a positive, I know that it would have made a huge difference to my experience.

Best possible experience!

"Wearing the full-face covering was the most traumatic experience I have ever encountered. I did everything I had to, but I felt trapped and dreaded every one of my 30 radiotherapy sessions with the mask.”

Nicky Whilde, Head of Radiotherapy Physics at Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust said: “Every year the number of cancer patients needing treatment is increasing. With this amazing appeal, it is hoped that by 2025, all patients receiving radiotherapy across mid and south Essex will have access to safer, less invasive, and more precise treatment for many years to come.

“It is amazing that the Charitable Foundation has launched this appeal, as it will help give our patients undergoing radiotherapy treatment something absolutely priceless to them, the very best possible experience in terms of comfort, speed and accuracy.”

Open to everyone

Emma Wynne-Morgan, Deputy Chair of Trustees for the Charitable Foundation said: “It has been 25 years since the Charitable Foundation was founded and, in that time, it has raised nearly £5million to benefit patients and help to transform patient care. We are delighted to be launching this appeal, which will ensure the very latest radiotherapy treatment for the people of Southend and beyond.”

Over the course of the next two years, The Foundation will run a host of fundraising events which will rely heavily on the support of local community groups, businesses, organisations and individuals.

Fundraising opportunities are open to everyone, no donation is too small.

To read more about the appeal please visit www.spotlightappeal.org, or to find out how you can get involved in fundraising please email southendhospitalcf@gmail.com

@southendhospcf

The Lounge Club

THIS MARCH AT THE LOUNGE CLUB

10th March

Omar

10th March

Omar

Omar returns with a brand new album that many say is without doubt the strongest of his entire career.

11th March

The Dave Manington Trio

Having played together for many years the interplay and communication between these musicians is almost telepathic. The melodic nature and great ensemble playing of the group make it highly accessible.

17th James Annie Regulars Scotland, have at the Street calorie-laden, soul.

The Lounge

New Initiative!

Project Southchurch is a proactive community organisation. It works in partnership with Southend City Council, Police community teams, local councillors, local agencies and other organisations.

Rob MccAvoy Co-Founder/Chair Project Southchurch 07932 651996

On 30th March 2023, it is launching a new initiative for business and the community in Southchurch to create a new space for residents to enjoy and increase footfall for our local traders making a zone that is able to promote the area as one and attract new business. Also, to create a flexible and atmospheric public realm that helps local residents wellbeing and attracts visitors. It is without doubt Project Southchurch’s

most ambitious plan, but absolutely achievable through partnerships.

Improve public realm

The aim is to create a zone that will help promote the Project Southchurch area (or EastQuarter for the purposes of this article). The initiative involves developing a zone called Trade and Social Cohesion or TaSC Zone. The zone is created to help provide local

(continued on page 20)

Tax year-end 2022/23: lay the foundations for your financial future

With reductions in tax reliefs and allowances looming for 2023/24, now’s a good time to ensure you’re taking maximum advantage of them in this tax year.

It’s always a good idea to take advantage of your annual tax reliefs and allowances wherever you can. This year, though, it’s more important than ever. In his first Autumn Statement, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced reductions to a number of key allowances used by investors, as part of his attempts to shore up the nation’s finances.

Which key allowances are changing? Capital Gains Tax

The Capital Gains Tax (CGT) allowance for the current tax year (2022/23) is £12,300. This means that when you sell investments, you can enjoy gains up to £12,300 before you pay CGT.

But following the Chancellor’s announcement in the Autumn Statement, from 6 April 2023, the CGT allowance will be more than halved to £6,000, before it halves again in 2024/25 to just £3,000 a year.

Dividend allowance

The Chancellor also set his sights on the dividend allowance. This is the amount you can earn from company shares, including dividends from money held in collective investments such as funds and investment trusts before Dividend Tax is charged. Currently, the dividend allowance is £2,000, but from 2023 it will be halved to £1,000 and then halved again to £500 in 2024/25.

Which allowances could I be utilising?

You can shelter your investments from Dividend Tax and CGT by holding them in tax-efficient wrappers, such as a pension or Stocks & Shares ISA.

Each year, you can pay up to £20,000 into an ISA or if you can tie the funds up until age 55 (57 from 2028), you can save into a pension.

If you’ve already fully funded your ISA or pension, you could consider a pension for a spouse, child or grandchild, or explore ISAs for your family. A Junior ISA can be a tax-effective way of saving a lump sum for the children in your life. Junior ISAs have a lower allowance of £9,000 a year (2022/23).

The value of advice

We can help you take advantage of the reliefs and allowances you’re entitled to.

In addition to making more of your wealth, this can also have a priceless impact on your financial wellbeing, sparing you the worry around paying too much tax or breaching rules and not paying enough.

Get in touch before 5th April

The value of an investment with St. James’s Place will be directly linked to the performance of the funds selected and may fall as well as rise. You may get back less than the amount invested.

An investment in Stocks and Shares ISA will not provide the same security of capital associated with a Cash ISA or a deposit with a bank or building society.

The levels and bases of taxation, and reliefs from taxation, can change at any time and are generally dependent on individual circumstances.

SEAFRONT PARKING CHARGES INCREASES!

EVENING FREE PARKING SCRAPPED! 10%INCREASE!OVERALL

For the third year in a row they want to increase the daily rate of seafront car parking charges by 10%. They are also looking to extend these charges past6pm until late, that are presently free.

TheSouthend-on-Sea City Council administration, made up of the ‘‘Non-IndependentIndependentParty’’, the Labour Party and the Liberal Democrats, have decided that local families visiting the seafront are not paying enough in parking charges!

IFYOUFEELTHATTHESEINCREASESWILLAFFECT YOU, SIGNTHEPETITION

By raising the parking charges, Southend City Council are taxing tourism and leisure and, more importantly YOU and your family!Have your say by signing the petition. Search: Stop Southend Council Increasing Seafront Parking Charges|38degrees

SPOTLIGHT

(continued from page 16)

traders the access to grants that they may not be aware of or refused in the past. It's designed to increase footfall within the area and improve public realm that will bring a more relaxed atmosphere to the area, creating an experience where local residents and visitors can meet, relax and enjoy. There will be a creation of a ‘virtual’ shopping centre called Tri-Streets that includes all businesses within the EastQuarter, centred on Southchurch Road, Woodgrange Drive & Hamstel Road. This will allow us to approach new retailers to the area when units become available, as one entity and in partnership with local agents.

Upgrading the transport links

It will be looking to increase tourism in the area by promoting, with other stakeholders, the All Seven Miles scheme and it’s 360 Degree Tourism programme.

It will also work on upgrading the transport links within the area by improving Southend East station and a bus link into the centre of the Garons Complex, including Wellbeing Garons.

Nine new events

2024 sees the 1200 anniversary of Southchurch. As well as the current events namely, Frostbite, Southchurch Art Trail & Bike Trax, we will create nine new events across the EastQuarter to increase footfall for traders and attract new visitors.

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A Green City by the Sea

Despite the current crises, the Lib Dems in the Southend City Partnership are determined to continue investing in our environment and achieve our aims of a Green City by the Sea.

We are the only party in Southend that put the environment at the centre of their decision making across the board of services and are well placed to effect the changes needed.

Nationally we fight against the sewage spillages into our waters and locally too – we pull no punches with the water authorities in calling them to account. We are committed to improving our tree canopy and year on year we are planting more trees than any other previous administration. We have challenges with street trees but we are managing to balance this with issues relating to highways.

Innovative homes for residents

We are phasing out the use of pesticides and enhancing our biodiversity in our green areas and parkland by introducing new meadowlands and management regimes.

We already lead on innovative construction, both commercially and residentially. The Launchpad building on the Airport Business Park is an exemplar for the environmental construction in a business context. Also we’re building energy-efficient, innovative homes for residents who not only need housing but also cost-effective living.

by Cllr Carole Mullroney Cabinet Member for Environment, Culture and Tourism cllrmulroney@southend.gov.uk

Protecting our environment comes in many forms

We are investing £1.5M in climate change schemes across the spectrum of challenges – not just EVs, but greening our City with trees and planting, promoting biodiversity by protecting our wildlife, protecting our foreshore and working with others to bring forward innovative ideas and solutions. We’re also investing £1m in our major parks and smaller playgrounds, so vital to wellbeing and our natural world.

Protecting our environment comes in many forms. We’ve now stopped all waste going to landfill and will shortly be improving our EV charging point availability.

As a City by the Sea, our shoreline is incredibly important – not just for tourism, but its natural features that make it unique. We’re investing £500k towards this work and have already introduced nature-based protection solutions to our coastal areas.

The Lib Dems will continue to make sure that our voice in the Council makes Southend better.

As ever, if you have any issues I can help with, please contact me on cllrmulroney@southend.gov.uk

Should you Equity Release?

l Are you struggling with the cost of living?

l Do you want to improve your lifestyle?

l Do you want to carry out home improvements?

l Do you want to help family get on the property ladder?

l Do you need to repay your existing mortgage?

Over 55, struggling for cash, and own your own home? The easy solution, according to the adverts at least, is to do an equity release, but it's not as straight forward as it seems.

Equity release is a way of spending your home's value whilst still living there. It's done via a loan usually repaid from your home's value once you die.

We at Broom Consultants Ltd can help you review all of your options.

If you decide releasing equity is right for you, a member or our Equity Release team will explain how it works and will answer all your questions.

You should think carefully before securing other debts against your home. Your home or property may be repossessed if you fail to comply with the terms and conditions of an equity release plan.

Reactivate those muscles again!

Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS) is recognised as an invaluable aid in any training regime. Whether your goals are increased sport-specific strength training, weight loss or body and muscle toning, EMS is the ideal partner to your existing training routine.

EMS improves the quality of muscle contractions and the balancing of muscular imbalances. EMS is a timesaving alternative to conventional strength training and with its many technique and tactic specific training units, it is a vital tool in achieving your training objectives. Training with EMS is a whole-body workout. The EMS training suit ensures muscle contractions occur in all groups of muscles throughout the body, including the underlying ones that are not generally impacted by conventional training methods. Each group of muscles can also be stimulated individually through the EMS device. This means that EMS training is the perfect addition to all types of sports training.

Pricing is £35 per EMS session or a block of 10 sessions for £300. EMS training suits will need to be purchased along with a personal system card which will cost £39.50, but they are yours to keep.

EMS Training to Lose Weight

EMS training is proven to increase the consumption of calories and continues to work on your health and fitness even hours after the training session has finished. EMS training is the ideal form of exercise if you want to achieve one of the following goals:

l fat reduction (especially on problematic areas)

l weight loss

l skin tightening

l cellulite reduction

EMS Training is Personal Training

EMS Training Implementation

Qualifications Level 4

Personal Trainer Level 4

Nutritional Advisor

EMS licenced

Trainer awarded by Gluckerkolleg

It is essential that this very effective, high performance training is undertaken under the supervision of a professionally trained instructor. While EMS itself is a high tech approach to whole body training, it will only ever be as good as the person who is leading your session. The EMS trainer is an intricate part of what makes EMS training successful. So successful, in fact, that over 70% of EMS clients state that they are finally achieving their goals. EMS Training is personal training and EddCourt plays a crucial role in helping you achieve your training and your workout goals:

l He ensures the correct application of the system.

l He instructs and directs the exercises performed.

l He monitors the form and execution of exercises.

l He reviews and adapts the training plan to your individual goals.

l He is at your side to drive you and keep motivation high.

l He schedules your appointments and helps you develop a workout routine.

In recent years there has been rapid growth in the variety of EMS systems and their implementation. EddCourt has extensively researched the market and has chosen the system that he believes provides the maximum benefit to any workout session. This training is now available at EddCourt PTI Ltd. EMS is ideally used initially once a week for a 20 minute session and this means it can be regularly scheduled and personally monitored by you and Edd. Your first session will be for an hour and this covers the initial set up of your personal training requirements within the system. We will go through what strength electrodes you require and programme the system to your specific training needs. Once the first session is completed you can then have 1 session a week for 10 weeks and after that you can increase the number of weekly sessions if you wish.

Fact Check for EMS Training – Perfect for Back Pain

"In just under 20 minutes of EMS training per week, we were able to achieve significant effects – a greater reduction in chronic back pain and betterment of muscular imbalances than achieved with conventional strength training or physiotherapy. EMS appears to be a timeefficient and effective option for people who want to improve their fitness and reduce their back pain."

(Dr. Kemmler, a researcher at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg in Germany)

Gold wanted.

 Today’s high prices paid for gold.

 Bring your unwanted gold coins/ jewellery in to be valued in exchange for the best price you could hope for.

 Broken gold, any condition

 Use that unwanted jewellery and put it towards something you really want.

WE HAVE NO CONNECTION WITH ANY OTHER LOCAL BUSINESS WITH A SIMILAR TRADING NAME OVER 1,000 WEDDING STYLES AVAILABLE

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Essex Police launch online dating safety campaign

Essex Police are raising awareness of the tactics romance fraudsters are using to leave people heartbroken and out of pocket.

In 2022, Action Fraud reported an estimated £88 million was lost to romance fraudsters in the UK. £1.6 million of this happened to people in Essex.

There were 191 cases reported – a drop of 13% – but officers believe there are many more victims who are reluctant to come forward.

Detective Chief Inspector Dan Morrissey from the Crime and Public Protection Team said:

“Dating sites, gaming platforms and social messaging services are all a great way to meet new people, discover new passions or learn

a new skill. Sadly, there are some people who use these online platforms to look for victims and commit crime. It can be difficult to know how to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe.

"We want to start a conversation about staying safe when dating online, and the warning signs to look out for."

And it’s not just romance fraud that people should be wary of. Stalking and harassment can also happen online via email, text messages, social media and tracking apps. Harassment is when unwanted behaviour happens more than once.

Here are some tips to help keep you safe when dating online:

Beware of what you are telling the world. Try not to give too much personal information away. Someone you have just met online doesn’t need to know intimate details about your family or work life.

By giving away too many details, you could be providing someone with exactly what they need to manipulate you, entice you into a scam or access your passwords.

Stay on a secure platform. When you are chatting on a dating site or within an online game, everyone is bound by the platform’s rules and guidelines. This means you have a way to raise concerns or report inappropriate behaviour.

Do an image check. Don’t let the fact that someone is on a reputable dating site lower your sense of security. To help confirm the person you are interested in is who they say they are, you could do a quick

web search on any images they have sent you. This can make sure the photos have not just been copied from another website. Location settings. All social media platform and some apps have their own privacy settings. They include the ability to set a social media account to private, prevent friend requests from people you don’t know or don’t want to contact you, and to hide the location of your device from others.

Best bar none?

Save money, time and the environment with this simple hair hack

You may have noticed during your weekly shop that what look like bars of soap have increasingly started to appear alongside the shampoo bottles in your supermarket or pharmacy. If you haven’t already popped one in your basket or trolley, read on…

Shampoo bars need more oil-based ingredients to make them, which in turn makes them less harsh on your hair. Bars still have surfactants - the chemicals that actually clean your hair - but those extra oils will make your hair feel softer and more moisturised after washing. Not only that, bars are more environmentally sustainable, as they don’t require the plastic packaging their liquid counterparts do. Better still, one bar is usually the equivalent of two 250ml bottles of shampoo.

Your investment really pays off

Two other factors in shampoo bars’ favour are the time and money savings. Think about it; you apply shampoo for a few moments and then wash it straight off. What’s more, I reckon it would be pretty fair to suggest that we wash our hair simply when it needs cleaning, so in those circumstances a simple shampoo will do the job just as well as a far more expensive version. It’s what happens after you’ve washed your hair that

matters. By applying top-notch conditioners or styling products, that’s where your investment really pays off, in terms of affecting the quality or appearance of your hair.

Frizzy, coloured or damaged hair

Just as regular shampoos have been formulated to cope with different hair types and requirements, bar manufacturers have followed suit. Whether you have frizzy, coloured or damaged hair, you’ll almost certainly find a bar that you’ll love. A personal favourite is the range of cute koala-shaped bars from Aussie. You’ll find them in Boots and their little smiley faces will make washing your hair fun again. Absolute koality!

All Your Gardening Essentials

New House Plant Section

Seasonal Flowers, Plants & Trees

Garden Furniture & Ornaments

Pet Food & Accessories

Scott's Kitchen Open Every Day

Afternoon Tea

Breakfast & Lunch Menu

Indoor & Outdoor Dining

Vegan & Gluten Free Options

Life Ibiza Curved Corner Set

Timber Corner Lava Carbon

Pandora Leaf Gazebo

Braised beef chilli hotpot

by Judy Barden

INGREDIENTS (SERVES 6)

800g braising stezak, cubed

 2 tbsp plain flour, seasoned well

 4 tbsp olive oil

300ml red wine

 2 red onions, cut into chunks

 2 carrots, cut into chunks

This is a classic dish that can be made ahead, chilled or frozen ready for when you have family or friends round. It is a potato topped hotpot but with a braised beef chilli instead of lamb. You can also make a vegetarian chilli if you need an alternative. Enjoy!

Toss the beef in flour, then brown half in a pan, using 1 tbsp oil. Once browned, spoon into a bowl. Add 100ml wine to the pan and scrape up any bits. Reduce a little, then pour into the bowl with the cooked beef. Wipe the pan and repeat with the remaining beef and another 100ml wine. Meanwhile, whizz the onions, carrots and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped.

 4 garlic cloves, bashed to remove skin

 2 red peppers, deseeded, cut into chunks

 1 fresh red chilli, deseeded and sliced

few thyme sprigs , plus 1 tbsp leaves

 1 bay leaf

 1 tsp each ground cumin and coriander

½ tsp each cinnamon and chilli flakes

 2 x 400g cans chopped plum tomatoes

 2 tsp caster or granulated sugar

250ml good beef stock

400g can red kidney beans, drained

1kg potatoes

knob of butter

Add 2 tbsp oil to the pan and tip in the chopped veg, peppers, fresh chilli, thyme sprigs and bay. Fry for 10 mins. Tip in the spices, cook for 1 min, then add the rest of the wine and reduce by half. Add the tomatoes, sugar, beef, winey juices and stock, season, then simmer for 1½-2 hrs until the meat is meltingly tender. Stir in the beans and allow to cool.

Peel and slice the potatoes about 5mm thick, then boil for 5 mins. Drain, then tip back into pan. Add the butter and thyme leaves, season, then toss to coat. Tip the chilli mix into a 35 x 25cm dish, then layer the potatoes on top. Dot with butter. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas

6 and bake for 50 mins-1 hr, until the sauce is bubbling and potatoes golden. Serve with soured cream and green veg.

To get ahead; Cover with cling film and cool completely before cooking. Will freeze for 1 month – defrost before cooking and then cook as above.

Next month’s recipe: 'Coffee Cake'

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Our specialists advise employees and directors on all aspects of their employment including discrimination and unfair dismissal and frequently advise on exit packages and contractual restrictions. We provide representation for Employment Tribunal claims and mediations.

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Our team of claimant lawyers are among the best negotiators of injury settlements in the business, from relatively minor road traffic accidents to complex brain injury cases.

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ALAN SIMPSON

birds Fear of

Dee came to see me a few weeks ago with her fear/phobia of birds. She had this fear since she was young but this was exacerbated by another experience. She was now refusing to go on holiday with her husband as she did not like the amount of birds in that area. This was causing a big issue between them and he was threatening to go on holiday alone.

She was now refusing to go on holiday with her husband as she did not like the amount of birds in that area.

The first fear arose when she was 6, when one day a pigeon flew into her face whilst she was in the garden near to the Avery of racing pigeons kept by her father which caused her to scream and go into a panic attack. Since then she had kept her distance from birds but had not really remembered the childhood experience until another incident happened about 2 years ago during lock down.

Bird flew in!

Dee was prepping for dinner one evening in the kitchen and she had just let the dog out into the garden who would automatically run out and frighten the birds away.

She then heard a flapping noise and

a bird flew into the kitchen. She said she just froze then, ran towards the front door grabbing her car keys and she slammed the door behind her. She sat in her car for a few hours until her husband got home. Since then her anxiety and fear of birds she stated was just through the roof.

How fast this therapy had worked

So we worked on these two memories with the BWRT protocols in this session.

After which she said she felt calm and the fear had gone. She was amazed how fast this therapy had worked but was concerned it may come back so we scheduled another appointment.

Dee contacted me before the appointment to say the fear had gone her husband was happy and they have booked a holiday together.

Please contact me if I can help you with the fear of birds or other fears on 07717856999 or at jacqui@jsntherapies.co.uk.

I

As a leading domestic glass replacement company for more than 16 years, Cloudy2Clear windows are the leading name in the industry. There is no need for you to risk your windows by using the dreaded double glazing cowboy down the street. You can join over 336,000 happy customers and replace your glass ethically and affordably. If you have a failed glass unit, it may not provide you with the protection you need or be as energy-efficient as it once was. Take a minute to check your home to see if any double glazing has failed? Taking action now can prevent future financial problems.

When talking to the Manager of Cloudy2Clear windows Chris Miller it became clear that these

values have been held dear for a number of years. Since starting the business some years ago Cloudy2Clear have remained true to their core values of supporting the local community by providing a service that saves the public money.

The Cloudy2Clear service only requires the glass to be replaced and not the whole window once the unit has failed. Chris commented “Cloudy2Clear were able to assist our community through the last financial crisis in 2008 due to the savings that can be made in using our service. Unfortunately we might be going through something similar again soon and the public can rest assured that we will be there to help once again”.

For a free quotation please call 0800 61 21 118 or visit www. cloudy2clear.co.uk.

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Why do you need Lasting Power of Attorney?

Loss of mobility or mental capacity can make it difficult to manage your affairs.

What if I am unable to manage my affairs?

There may come a time in your life when you are unable to manage your financial affairs or personal welfare, owing to some form of incapacity and you will need someone to act on your behalf.

Even when we are young, we can find ourselves incapacitated owing to illness or injury and it can be invaluable having a reliable person, who is able to manage your personal affairs and remove the anxiety of having unpaid bills, at a time when you most need peace of mind.

Similarly, as we get older, the need for an attorney increases as we are more prone to illness and injuries.

Don’t leave it too late!

Instead of preparing while we are physically and mentally fit enough, many of us choose to put off dealing with such unwanted eventualities until the inevitable happens and by then it’s too late.

Who can I rely on for sound advice?

When estate planning, it is important that you can rely on the adviser. Countrywide offers a friendly and professional service, including Wills, LPAs, Trusts, Probate and

Funeral Plans. We offer the best possible advice at the time you need it most. We can arrange an informal chat or meeting via zoom/skype at our offices or in the comfort of your own home. Please feel free to contact me on 01277 600966.

What kind of LPA do I need?

by Clive Rowe, in association with Countrywide SE LLP

There are two types of LPA: Property and Financial LPA - This type gives your attorney the authority to deal with your property, your bills, bank account and investments. This can be used while someone is still capable but has chosen to delegate to their attorney.

Personal Welfare LPA - This can only be used when you have lost capacity and are unable to make decisions for yourself. It gives someone you trust authority to make decisions about where you should live and what medical treatment you should receive.

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Caring for our community

Since 2011, the Doris team has provided care to local people and reassurance to their loved ones. We are proud to have become a part of many families’ trusted circles; a service they can rely on to deliver “care as it should be”.

Our homecare team delivers a broad range of care services to clients across the local area, a number of whom are living with dementia or other conditions. Whether helping with personal care, supporting daily routines, accompanying people on outings or simply providing companionship, we do all we can to enrich the lives of those we visit.

If we can help you, a loved one or friend to remain independent and live safely and happily at home, please get in touch for a chat.

Visit our website at www.dorisjones.co.uk, send an email to enquire@dorisjones.co.uk or call us on 01702 472954.