Stroud District

Welcome to December

As we head into the final month of 2022, we have lots of festive inspiration for you. From a tasty treat for friends and family with our Delicious Dish, to ideas for sprinkling some festive flair in your home in Gill Greenwell’s Interior Design article. Julia Smith discusses the big Christmas tree debate and whether she prefers real or fake in her In the Garden feature.

Our What’s On section is also full of Christmas events to help you get into the festive spirit. There are enchanted trails, craft Christmas workshops, markets, concerts and lots of family entertainment!

To help you keep safe over winter, the NHS have shared information about local services you can use if you’re not feeling well or have a minor injury. See more details inside.

All of us at The Local Answer wish you a safe and happy Christmas.

Delicious Dish

with Helen Kingscott

Deliciously chewy apple and date bites

Keep things simple this Christmas with a tasty traybake that is sure to be a hit with both children and adults alike. Makes 8 bites.

Ingredients:

150g cooking apples

150g stoned dates

280g light soft brown sugar

175g plain flour

225g butter

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

100g porridge oats

Method:

1 Preheat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan/gas mark 5). Grease and line an 18cm square tin.

2 Peel, core and chop the apples and put into a saucepan with about two tablespoons of water. Bring to the boil then simmer until cooked.

3 Add the dates and 50g of the sugar and continue to simmer for five minutes. Take off the heat then mash together with a fork until well mixed.

4 Melt the butter in a medium sized saucepan then add the flour, bicarbonate of soda, oats and the remaining sugar and stir until well coated.

5 Press half of this mixture into the tin, spread the apple and date mixture on top, then cover with the remaining oat mixture. Press down gently

with the back of a spoon.

6 Bake for approximately 30 minutes until lovely and golden. Cool in the tin, then cut into squares.

Tip: Make twice as many, as they’re very tasty and will disappear in no time, especially if you’re hosting family and friends over Christmas!

Medical Health

The most common male cancer

Earlier this year, much-loved journalist and BBC television presenter Bill Turnbull passed away due to prostate cancer. He spent the last few years of his life raising awareness of the disease, which sees one in eight men diagnosed in their lifetime. This makes it the most common male cancer in the UK. According to Prostate Cancer UK, the disease kills more than 11,500 men in the UK every year, with another 47,500 diagnosed. Worryingly, most men don’t know anything about the illness, according to male cancer charity Orchid.

The risk of prostate cancer increases as you get older, with most cases developing in men aged 50 or older, the NHS says. Black men are more likely to be affected, while it is less common among Asian men. The risk is also higher for those with a family history of the disease.

Men who have these risk factors may be offered a test by their GP, but there is no national screening programme for the disease. As with all cancers, the earlier it is found, the easier it is to treat.

What is the prostate?

The prostate is a small gland in the pelvis and is part of the male reproductive system. About the size of a walnut, it is located between the penis and

the bladder, and surrounds the urethra. Its main function is to produce a thick white fluid that creates semen when mixed with the sperm produced by the testicles.

Symptoms

Symptoms of prostate cancer will usually not appear until the cancer is large enough to press against the urethra. If you find yourself needing to urinate more often, having to wait longer before you can pass urine, or urinating involuntarily after going to the toilet, it is a good idea to get checked by a doctor.

However, Prostate Cancer UK says it is more likely to be a sign of a very common noncancerous problem in men –an enlarged prostate. Other warning signs include erectile dysfunction, blood in urine, weight loss or any new and unexplained lower back pain.

Testing

There is no single test for prostate cancer. All the tests used to help diagnose the condition

have benefits and risks that your doctor should discuss with you. The most commonly used tests for prostate cancer are:

• Blood tests

• A physical examination of the prostate known as a digital rectal examination (DRE)

• An MRI scan

• A biopsy

Treatment

If you do have prostate cancer, you may not need treatment. If the cancer is at an early stage and not causing symptoms, your doctor may suggest either ‘watchful waiting’ or ‘active surveillance’.

The best option depends on your age and overall health. Both options involve carefully monitoring your condition. Some cases of prostate cancer can be cured if treated in the early stages. Early detection is always the key.

If you are concerned, talk to your GP, or for further information visit www.nhs.uk/ conditions/prostate-cancer or www.prostatecanceruk.org

with Kirsty Lilley

Motoring

with Toby Aiken

Sink or swim? The Yaris Cross

I was recently sent a press release with some statistics on driving licences and the costs of learning. The survey, conducted by bumper.co.uk (a car repair payment platform –who knew that was a thing?) suggested that 72% of adults that don’t hold a driving licence said that price was the biggest limiting factor.

I get that, because driving lessons are expensive. When I learnt, they were £12 an hour (ish) and are now in the range of £25-£30 per hour, which is close to a pure inflation price rise.

Cars have definitely not kept pace with inflation

But it got me thinking about the cost of motoring in general and, specifically, the recent Yaris Cross I reviewed. A Yaris in 1999 (its launch year) started at just under £7k. It now starts at £21k – inflation should mean the equivalent car is just under £12k, so cars have definitely not kept pace with inflation. This is the Yaris Cross, simply a small SUV crossover version of the Yaris. But so much more.

My first question to myself when writing notes on this car was ‘why’? I didn’t get why a crossover of a compact car was needed, but it actually made a lot of sense, very quickly.

The standard Yaris is (in my opinion) uninspiring. But the Yaris Cross adds something –and that something is style. It’s a much more stylish car that looks much more capable –which it is. A small, frugal nippy little car with a big boot and nice stylish touches all around.

What’s not to like? Well, the £25k price tag maybe…

A lot more car for your money

Aside from the fact that, as I’ve suggested, a Yaris should be sub £15k, the Cross version does actually give you a lot more car for your money. It is suitable for a small family, the boot is capable of holding more than a couple of bags of shopping and it actually looks so much more than a Yaris –perhaps this is another case of right car, wrong badge like the Mustang Mach E?

If the Yaris starts at £21k, then the Cross version is most definitely worth the £4k uplift in costs. I would happily drive a Yaris Cross around. The standard Yaris? Unless it was the GR (which is an incredible amount of fun and more expensive) then no thank you.

I think my issue therefore is that the Yaris shouldn’t have a starting price of more than £20k, which in turn pushes the

Yaris Cross price point up. But what does the Yaris’ inflationmatched price of £12k get you in a new car nowadays? I checked, and it’s a Dacia Sandero (Stepway or otherwise) or a Kia Picanto.

The Dacia is quite possibly a good shout – based on its (relatively short) heritage, I would definitely consider this, but an entry-level Kia Picanto? It’s perfectly functional, but doesn’t have the same style, space and kudos as even the entry level Yaris.

A lot of competition at the £25k mark

So what is the Cross competing against at the £25k mark? The truth is there is a lot of competition at that point, but I think the Yaris Cross will prove itself in reliability over the years and I don’t think it will age as much as some of the competition. It’s different, and while different is always a case of sink or swim, my bet is that this is a swimmer.

The

a

A NSWER

Toby, age 14

Terry, age 71

Sophie,

Claire, age 42

Mum of distributors, ages 13 and 16

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“It’s a good way for my kids to learn independence and responsibility.”

“Now I’ve retired, it gets me out of the house and keeps me active.”

25 NOVEMBER – 21 DECEMBER

ENCHANTED CHRISTMAS TRAIL AT WESTONBIRT

25 NOVEMBER – 30 DECEMBER

SPECTACLE OF LIGHT

Explore our magical after-dark experience and follow the new illuminated trail around our beautiful castle grounds. Enjoy the wonderful music as you discover each new secret of this romantic environment. Refreshments available. Various dates and times. For more details, please visit www.sudeleycastle.co.uk

25 NOVEMBER – 31 DECEMBER

1 DECEMBER – 1 JANUARY ELF HUNT

The naughty elves have gone missing in Batsford Arboretum, find them to win a prize! £3 per child. Admission fees apply to children and accompanying adults (all children must be accompanied by an adult). Batsford Arboretum, Moreton-inMarsh, GL56 9AT. For more details, please visit www.batsarb.co.uk

Open on selected evenings from 4pm to 9.30pm. There’s magic around every corner on Westonbirt’s Enchanted Christmas trail! Father Christmas’ elves have made their way to the arboretum to decorate for Christmas. But they’re running slightly behind schedule… will the trail be ready on time? Witness the wonder, hilarity and general commotion that comes with playful elves creating Westonbirt’s spectacular illuminated trail. Advance booking essential. To book please visit forestryengland.uk/westonbirt/ enchanted-christmas

25 NOVEMBER – 24 DECEMBER

THE FLIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

Experience the magic of Christmas on board a jumbo jet! Visit Cotswold Airport this winter and participate in the world’s first grotto experience on board the Boeing 747 “Negus”. Let the elves show you how Negus is helping to save Christmas Day in this immersive theatrical production. For more information, please visit www.theflightbeforechristmas.com

ENCHANTED LIGHT TRAIL

Our family-friendly illuminated light trail is a wondrous nighttime experience, showcasing marvellous creations, installations and illuminations. This year, discover that joy can be infectious – our Christmas light trail tells a beautiful story of encouraging inclusion and kindness, with clues and puzzles for young inquisitive brains to engage with. Tickets from £12-£25, babies go free. Various dates and times. More details at www.cotswoldfarmpark.co.uk

1 & 8 DECEMBER

CHRISTMAS WREATH MAKING

Join us in the Glasshouse Café at Miserden with Jo Copsey from Aqua Flowers to create your own stunning Christmas Wreath. Jo will teach you the techniques and guiding principles of building a stylish door wreath that will be the envy of your neighbours! A great opportunity to get into the festive spirit with mulled wine and festive nibbles! 3-5pm. £75pp. The Estate Office, Miserden, near Stroud, GL6 7JA.

2 DECEMBER CHRISTMAS MARKET AT THE SUBSCRIPTION ROOMS

Get your Christmas shopping off to a fun and festive start with your favourite local marketeers! In our ballroom, you’ll find the finest homemade jewellery, hearty homeware, original artworks, prints, foods and vintage clothes. Other market dates: 3rd, 10th, 17th and 24th December. For more details, visit www.thesubrooms.co.uk

3 DECEMBER CHORISTER CHRISTMAS COFFEE CONCERT

Come and enjoy some special musical performances from the talented Gloucester Cathedral Choristers at their annual Christmas Coffee Concert in the Chapter House. Admission is £6 on the door. We look forward to welcoming you. All proceeds go toward the music of Gloucester Cathedral. Chapter House, 12 College Green, Gloucester GL1 2LX. For more information, please visit www.gloucestercathedral.org.uk

GLOUCESTER VEGAN CHRISTMAS MARKET

60 stalls of all vegan and cruelty-free shopping, food, drinks and gifts. Get your Christmas shopping done and also enjoy some yummy vegan food and drink. £3 entry on the door. Under 16s free with an adult. Dogs allowed on leads. 10am to 3pm. Blackfriars, Via Sacra, Ladybellegate Street, Gloucester GL1 2HN. For more information see the ‘Vegan Events Gloucestershire’ Facebook page.

7 DECEMBER

CHRISTMAS LANTERN WORKSHOP

Join artist Sarah Davis in Berkeley Castle’s stunning Great Hall to create your own stained glass lantern with a gorgeous red glass bow and decorative beads. A lovely way to start the festive season and try your hand at a traditional craft. All materials and equipment will be provided. £60pp. 2pm-4.30pm or 7pm-9.30pm. Berkeley Castle, GL13 9BQ. For more details, please visit www.berkeley-castle.com

8-24 DECEMBER

CHELTENHAM CHRISTMAS MARKET

Find festive treats and unique gifts at the Cheltenham Christmas Market. Around 80 market stalls will run along

the pedestrianised Promenade and Long Gardens in front of the Municipal Offices, providing shoppers with lots of opportunities to pick up unique gifts, Christmas decorations and delicious goodies. Daily from 10am-6pm Monday to Saturday and 10am-4pm on Sundays. For more information, go to www.visitcheltenham.com/whats-on

10 DECEMBER

POPTASTIC CHRISTMAS CONCERT!

Join the Cotswold Area Community Orchestra, Sounds of Music Choir and Vocalist Lucy Curtis for a Poptastic Christmas Concert! In aid of Cancer Research UK. 7.30pm. Entry £5 on the door. Bring your own drinks and nibbles. Stonehouse Community Centre, GL10 2NS.

10-11 & 17-21 DECEMBER

SANTA’S

COMING TO SLIMBRIDGE

Enjoy a full day out together, making memories in our wetland wonderlands with festive activities and treats to enjoy from the Kingfisher Kitchen. Children can meet Santa, receive a gift from him and enjoy a full day out at our wetlands centre - with lots of festive activities to take part in (see below). £9.50 per child. Various times. More details at www.wwt.org.uk/ wetland-centres/slimbridge

11 DECEMBER

JAMES HOPKINS TRUST ANNUAL CHRISTMAS EXTRAVAGANZA

With special guests, stalls galore, Santa’s Grotto and lots of games, this is an event with fun for all the family! 1-4pm. Hatherley Manor Hotel, Down Hatherley Lane, Cheltenham GL2 9QA. In aid of James Hopkins Trust.

17-23 DECEMBER

PAINSWICK NAUGHTY ELF TRAIL

Naughty Christmas elves will be up to all kinds of mischief in window displays around Painswick. Follow a map to spot the elves at any time over the week. Maps cost £4 each. Available from 1st December. Complete the trail and solve the anagram for a chance to win a £200 John Lewis voucher. More details on the Friends of The Croft School Facebook page.

14-15 JANUARY

WILD WINTER WEEKEND

Two days of workshops, talks and demonstrations. Guides in the Hide will be on hand to help you identify the winter wildlife. Highlights include a talk with Chris Moore on his book –Peter Scott and the Birth of Modern Conservation – and Winter Goose ID Workshops. For more details, please visit wwt.org.uk/Slimbridge

In the Garden

with Julia Smith

The great Christmas tree debate

While gardening magazines love to show outdoor havens rimmed with frost in their Christmas editions, it is getting less and less likely that we will have weather like that at this time of year – mild and soggy would probably describe it better!

The upside to this is that if it is not too wet, we can continue to work in our gardens, moving plants and shrubs around, putting in hedges, and preparing for the spring.

One of the most debated subjects at this time of the year is that of Christmas trees. I do like a real tree, although we have a fake one which we have used on various Christmases in the last 20 years. For example, if we have been going away and couldn’t justify the cost of a real tree when we’d only enjoy it for a few days.

As our fake tree has been used multiple times already and is there for future backup plans, I don’t feel bad about having bought it and the fact that I don’t think it will be recyclable.

If you would prefer a real tree, the best ones to get to make sure the needles don’t all end up on the carpet before Christmas Eve are Nordmann Fir trees, which actually almost look fake because they are so

perfect! A less common option, but one which also has a lovely balsam scent, is the Fraser Spruce.

Check to see how fresh your chosen tree is

When you’re choosing your tree, bump the stump on the ground to see how many needles fall off – if there are only a few, that means it’s nice and fresh. When you get it home, leave it outside until you are ready to decorate it. Put it in the corner of a room where it is less likely to be knocked, and use a Christmas tree stand with a water reservoir in it.

As with cut flowers, cut a couple of inches off the trunk, as this will help it take up the water better. Eventually the water doesn’t go down at all, as the tree has stopped absorbing it. With flowers you could recut the stems, but it wouldn’t be practical with a tree. It will inevitably start to dry, but a good tree will easily

last for a few weeks and see you through the festive period.

Don’t burn your tree when Christmas is over – instead get it shredded, either through the council schemes or your local garden centre. If you have a large garden, you could cut it into small chunks and leave it for wildlife to enjoy while it rots down into the ground. This is a good idea if you have a sheltered section in your garden – you wouldn’t want to just lay it on an open lawn.

Festive gardening gifts

If you’re on the hunt for a gift for the gardener in your life, vouchers from local nurseries or garden centres are always appreciated. Lovely plant labels, twine, indelible pens for marking, garden gloves and good-quality tools are useful presents. Of course, hand creams and bath soaks are always welcome gifts to help undo the toll on your loved one’s body from all their hours spent working outside!

Happy Christmas!

Interior Design

with Gill Greenwell

A sprinkle of festive flair

My family has always been big into Christmas, even though we can’t always be together nowadays. Our three daughters live in a mid-century ranch house in the American midwest, a contemporary Australian home and a modern apartment in Battersea.

As a family, we take decorating our homes at Christmas very seriously, so each year I suggest new festive decorating themes to suit our various styles of home. Here are a few ideas to inspire your Christmas interiors.

Eco-festive

If you like to embrace all things natural, use a palette of winter white paired with fresh greens and warm caramels. Create wreaths and garlands from nature – dried teasels paired with soft wispy sea lavender always look lovely.

Make the tree woodland themed and search out leafpatterned baubles. I love Graham and Green’s woodland-

inspired feather baubles. John Lewis has a range of sweet wildlife ornaments the children will adore, featuring owls, pheasants and hedgehogs.

The sustainable option

If sustainability is important to you, there are lots of ways you can reuse or make your own decorations. Anything made of paper is on trend –you can find honeycomb ball decorations everywhere. I particularly like Sass and Belle’s range of colours and shapes. Check out their coloured recycled glass baubles too.

Easy to make, paper chains are a fun Christmas activity for the kids. The Cambridge Imprint kit makes 10 metres of chain and comes in a beautiful reuseable box. Also check out the gorgeous reuseable crackers from The Oathouse.

Elegant vintage

For a touch of glamour, art deco themes are popular this year. Think lots of sparkle, beads and feathers. For a roaring twenties themed Christmas table search out beaded placemats, antique tableware and Capiz shell lotus tealight holders in soft dusty pinks and creams.

Create a boho idyll with shimmering crystal and Capiz shell garlands from Cox and Cox, and mix with wavy pampas grass dotted with fairy lights. Check out Rockett St George for more ideas.

Nostalgic retro

For that classic Christmas look you can’t go wrong with a red,

green and gold scheme. Add some touches of tartan, and traditional wooden nutcracker ornaments, which seem to be everywhere this year.

Search out retro bottle brush mini Christmas trees to complete the look. Don’t forget to bring out your nostalgic heirloom decorations – our family have collected ours over the years – or trawl the charity shops and start your own collection.

Nordic with a twist

No Christmas decor feature is complete without a mention of Nordic hygge and Christmas markets. For a fun, quirky touch Aldi’s cute gonks rooted in Nordic mythology are in a chic new grey and white colour this season. Create a charming German Christmas marketplace on your mantlepiece with tiny laser-cut wooden houses from Etsy.

With these individual stylish touches, you too can create a joyful uplifting space for the festive season.

Image: Gisela Graham

Image: Cox & Cox

Stonehouse looking upwards

Stonehouse Town are an ambitious football club.

Next year is their 125th anniversary but while they are proud of their history, they are looking to the future with optimism.

“Stonehouse were the biggest club in the Stroud area in the 70s,” said chairman Nigel Sanders. “We’re a sleeping giant and we’re trying to kick the hell out of it to try to wake it up.”

Forest Green Rovers, who have enjoyed such a phenomenal rise in recent times, are obviously the top club in the area these days, but it’s fair to say that things seem to be moving in the right direction at Stonehouse too.

“The aim is to go as high as we can,” said Sanders, who has been chairman for the past seven or eight years.

“The sky is the limit, there’s a lot to look forward to. My aim for the next five years is to get into the Southern League.”

The club currently play in Division One of the Hellenic League so that means they would need two promotions, but that is something that Sanders believes is achievable.

“Our 2nd team play in Division One of the Northern Senior League, which was where our 1st team were playing when I took over as chairman,” said Sanders.

The club’s flagship team are in their fourth season in the Hellenic League and Sanders is hoping that new manager Craig Robinson can work some magic as they look to progress through the divisions.

Robinson took over as boss five games into the current league campaign. He replaced former Cheltenham Town and Portsmouth midfielder Chris Burns and although this is his

first job as the main man in adult football, he knows exactly what he is about.

“It’s very much a project that my coaching staff and I have taken on,” said the 30-year-old.

“We’re trying to change the whole culture, philosophy and playing style of the club. It’s not a quick fix.

“We are trying to be more professional, we train twice a week, we want to change the mentality of the group. We’re trying to turn them into a team to compete in the division and one that will be at the top end of the division next season.”

And Robinson, who is assisted by Jason Radford, has a clear idea on how he wants his team to play.

“A high pressing, possessionbased, positional-based style of football,” he said.

That fits in very much with the wishes of his chairman, who added: “If we play attractive football people will come to watch us.”

Stonehouse currently get crowds of about 75 at the Ben’s Takeaway Stadium, but Sanders hopes that a bit of success coupled with some good football

could see them get crowds of 200 to 300.

The club also run a 3rd team who play in Stroud League Division Four, a veterans’ team and six or seven youth teams, so there is an awful lot of football being played there.

There’s also an awful lot going on off the pitch too, with the club having had new floodlights installed three years ago while a new, permanent prefab hospitality area should be open for business in the third week of December.

Sanders, a catering engineer, is hoping that the club’s supporters will be toasting plenty of wins in the new hospitality unit and in Robinson he thinks he’s got the right man to get those wins.

“He’s very organised,” said Sanders, “and he’s got good connections with a lot of youth players.”

That’s certainly true because Robinson, a self-employed gardener and tree surgeon who lives in Cheltenham, was in charge of Gloucester City’s under-18s and under-21s for four years.

Full story online.

with Roger Jackson

Stonehouse Town play in Division One of the Hellenic League

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