Saga Magazine December 2016 by Saga Magazine

HEALTH

WEALTH

TRAVEL

FASHION

HOME

INSPIRATION

DECEMBER 2016 £4

SAGA.CO.UK/MAGAZINE

50+ GRE AT GIFT IDE AS INSIDE

’Tis the season for... WISDOM

REV RICHARD COLES

HUMOUR

BILL BAILEY

KINDNESS

ESTHER RANTZEN

SPIRIT

RUBY WAX

Tim Vine is

C R AC K E R S

...and proud! Read his gags to make Christmas go with a bang

E D I TO R ’ S L E T T E R

Festive flipsides

“

THERE ARE ALL KINDS O F W AY S T O RETHINK H OW YO U SPEND C H R I S TM A S

ell, it’s the season to be jolly once again. (Is it me, or are Christmases coming round quicker these days?) I adore it all so I’m at odds with the Reverend Richard Coles, who in this issue confesses to becoming a little jaded with all those carols after so many church services! Meet the candid, erudite Rev on p24. Perhaps he should take note of the lively people we’ve found who spend December 25 in very unusual settings. Warmer winter weather and empty nests are combining to see more and more people choosing to ‘do’ Christmas in fun and non-traditional ways. So take a look at our intriguing ‘how-to’ list of all kinds of ways to rethink your festivities on p34. If you’re lucky, Christmas is a precious time to get together with family and friends. But of course life’s not like that for so many of us. As regular readers will know, we’ve teamed up with The Silver Line, the excellent charity started by Dame Esther Rantzen to provide a befriending phone service for the many thousands of lonely people in Britain who simply have no one to talk to. Read about it on p20 and if you can help this vital service, with a donation or by volunteering, it would be marvellous. Thank you so much if you do. Have a wonderful Christmas,

Katy Bravery COVER: MARK HARRISON, ALAMY, BRENT DARBY

Lots more online Our website has a huge selection of Christmas articles, including:

DECK THE HALLS Feeling creative? Easy-to-follow instructions on making your own beautiful decorations, plus the lowdown on how to dress a Christmas tree. STAY I N S H A P E Practical but festive healthy-eating tips to stop you piling on the pounds over the holiday season. BRILLIANT BAKING Delicious recipes, from classic mince pies and Christmas cake to spiced tea buns, cinnamon biscuits and praline logs. P O ST- I T N OT E S Is there still time to send a card to your Aussie cousins? Find the last international post dates here.

Get involved  Write to us at Saga Magazine, Enbrook Park, Folkestone, Kent CT20 3SE Email us at editor@saga.co.uk News, views and advice every day at saga.co.uk/magazine Join our vibrant community at facebook.com/saga Follow our sparkling tweets on Twitter @SagaUK

Find it all at saga. co.uk/mag-xmas 2016

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

THIS MONTH

December ’16 Contents Take Note

Take Away

09 The Christmas Angels Volunteers delivering ‘hampers’ to the hungry 10 FYI A new mathematics gallery, Matthew Bourne’s ballet The Red Shoes, the seasonal splendour of Castle Howard and great wintry walks 11 Ruby Wax The comedian turned mental-health campaigner on why it’s a blessing mainstream TV gave her up 12 Books Six reads to curl up in front of the fire with on a winter’s afternoon 14 Street style What one Saga stylista is wearing in... December 17 The big 6 Must see and do this month, from the new Tom Hanks film Sully, to the best TV murder mysteries and a new album from The Rolling Stones

52 Travel First-time cruising, Tenerife and great places to spend New Year 66 Women’s fashion For Christmas day 68 Men’s fashion Classic accessories 71 Beauty Get set to sparkle for the party season, and the best 15-minute facials 75 Health Dial down your blood pressure 78 Dr Mark Porter Your health Q&As 80 Jo Brand Our amusing agony aunt 82 Sexy stocking fillers Better than socks! 84 Food Up your game with the ultimate Christmas leftovers sandwiches 90 Great gifts for gardeners 95 Driving Personal Contract Plans 97 Technology The best hi-tech treats 101 Money Advice from Paul Lewis, Annie Shaw and Jennifer Newton 112 Property Instant decorations 119 BTW Readers’ letters 123 Subscribe today And save money 124 Puzzles Our £100 crosswords 129 Reader offers Don’t miss out! 130 Bill Bailey What makes him happy?

82 X-rated Xmas pressies 4

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

2016

Gifts for gardeners

Features 20 Our Silver Line appeal Help us bring a little cheer to someone who’s lonely 24 The Reverend Richard Coles The wonderfully irreverent cleric, broadcaster and former Communard on his perfect Christmas 30 You’re doing what?! Meet the people who spend Christmas Day going caving or climbing a mountain 36 It’s our fault… We did ask! Tim Vine’s cracker jokes are guaranteed to make you groan – in a good way 38 Working in a winter wonderland For three enterprising businesswomen ’tis the season to be jolly busy 44 Judith Keppel’s Christmas quiz Pit your wits against the star of Eggheads, and read her quizzing tips

Hi-tech gift ideas

SEAN MALYON, ANDREW LAMB, NEWS & MEDIA LTD, PAL HANSEN, MARK HARRISON STEPHEN COLLINS, DAVE LIDWELL, LYDIA EVANS, FAIRSHARE/JAMES DARLING, DANIEL MARTIN, GUARDIAN

09 Sharing the love

11 Ruby waxes lyrical on staying sane 14 Street style – it’s in the bag

24 And lo – it’s Rev Richard Coles

30 Having themselves a merry little Chrismas – no turkey, TV or rows

36 Tim Vine’s on cracking form

38 Christmas means business

66 Festive fashion: comfort and joy 2016

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

“A BREATHTAKINGLY BEAUTIFUL STAGING OF THE MGM MUSICAL.” THE INDEPENDENT

PERFORMANCES BEGIN 4 MARCH

AN AMERICAN IN PARIS Music and Lyrics by

GEORGE GERSHWIN and IRA GERSHWIN

Book by

CRAIG LUCAS

Directed and Choreographed by

CHRISTOPHER WHEELDON

AnAmericanInParisTheMusical.co.uk 0845 200 7982*

*Calls cost 2p per min. plus the network access charge. Phone & online sales subject to bkg fees.

W H E R E TO G O, W H AT TO D O

Take Note THE C H R I STM A S ANGELS

For the third year in a row, Louise Pyke, 52, from

JOHN MILLAR

Ashford, Kent, will be giving up her spare time in the run-up to Christmas so that ‘hampers’ of festive fare can be distributed to charities and community 

‘We get such lovely letters thanking us’ Louise Pyke, volunteer at FareShare Kent 2016

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

fyi

PAL HANSEN/CONTOUR/GETTY, FARESHARE/JAMES DARLING PHOTOGRAPHY, GETTY

TAKE NOTE

 groups that provide meals for some of the eight million people in the UK who struggle to put food on the table. Turkeys, plum puddings, mince pies, tangerines, Brussels sprouts and other festive treats go into the 2,000 deliveries that the charity FareShare sends out in December – via its 20 regional centres – to homeless hostels, women’s refuges, Age UK, lunch clubs, hospices and similar organisations in need. ‘I could be in the office taking an order on the phone or picking up a delivery of surplus stock from local supermarkets and packing it up,’ says Louise, who works as a school food technician in term-time. ‘There’s a great atmosphere at Christmas and we get such lovely letters from customers thanking us. I love helping my community.’ FareShare redistributes good food that has become surplus stock because of overproduction, labelling errors or a short shelf-life, and which might otherwise go to waste. Without volunteers such as Louise, FareShare would not be able to fight hunger at Christmas – or any other time of the year. If you can help, why not visit fareshare.org.uk/volunteering and give something back?

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

2016

MATHEMATICS: THE WINTON GALLERY London The Science Museum opens this spectacular gallery, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, which explores how mathematicians have shaped the modern world. Curator Dr David Rooney says, ‘Mathematical practice underpins so many aspects of our lives, and we hope that bringing together these remarkable stories and exhibits will inspire visitors to think about mathematics in a new light.’ From Dec 8, sciencemuseum.org.uk, 0333 241 4000

★★★★★

G R E AT T H I N G S TO S E E A N D D O

(We’ve done the research, so you don’t have to)

THE RED SHOES Nationwide The world premiere of Sir Matthew Bourne’s new ballet opens at Sadler’s Wells in London with a UK tour to follow. Inspired by the famous film of the same name, this is Bourne’s first new work in five years. The five-time Olivier Award winner has talked about the impact that the film had on him as a teenager and this production fulfils a long-held ambition to bring it to the stage. A perfect Christmas treat for grandchildren. Dec 6-Jan 29, sadlerswells.com, 020 7863 8000

★★★★★

A STATELY CHRISTMAS North Yorkshire Christmas is the best time to see a stately home in all its splendour. Castle Howard has pulled out all the stops this year, with a huge architectural gingerbread model of the house by Bompas & Parr, a Christmas tree made of books and an aromatic display using herbs and candles. Enjoy an obligatory mince pie with mulled wine while listening to carols and buying last-minute gifts. Until Dec 23, castlehoward.co.uk, 01653 648333

★★★★★

DON’T MISS

W I N T E R WA L KS

Counter all that overindulgence by taking part in the biggest walking festival in the UK. The Festival of Winter Walks has been running for more than 25 years and includes Ramblers’ group walks, health walks and routes taking in beautiful British wintry landscapes. From Dec 17-Jan 8, ramblers.org.uk

P E O P L E W E LOV E

Ruby Wax The comedian turned mental-health campaigner has a new tour, Frazzled. Caroline Hutton finds out what it’s all about Your show explores using mindfulness for ‘saner living’. Isn’t it a bit hippie dippy? Hippie dippy used to be my speciality – films on rebirthing and getting married to myself on a beach. But a decade ago I got depression and thought, ‘I want to understand what’s really going on in my brain’. So I did a Masters in mindfulnessbased cognitive therapy at Oxford. Mindfulness is not about being on a hillock with your legs in a knot. It’s about finding a way to quieten your mind and pay attention to the moment without judgment.

Why are people so stressed? There’s too much comparison with other people’s lives. Not just keeping up with the Joneses, but leaving them in the dust, seething with resentment.

How can we avoid stress at Christmas?

G IVE ME B R AIN S OVE R C O M E D Y A N Y D AY. TO O M U C H COM E DY I S C E N T R E D O N D AT I N G A N D C AT S

Put up a big sign that says ‘People who find Christmas hard, meet here’, then talk to each other. Next year, I’m launching Frazzled Cafés, with M&S, where people will be able to meet and speak honestly.

What do you want to find under your tree? I don’t do a tree. But I’d like something that can help me

2016



S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

 remember stuff and be a

bit of an expert on art, music or literature. I can’t seem to retain information any more. Is there such a present?

What do you think of your former, frenetic TV persona? I swear, I can’t recall a single thing. When I need to write about those days, I have to watch the old shows again. They were perfectly of their time, though.

Do you miss being on mainstream TV? I think it was a blessing that TV gave me up – I’ve had time to do more interesting things.

You’ve been married for close to 30 years. What’s the secret? I married Ed [Bye, a TV executive] because he was a nice guy and had long legs. I wanted to have children (we have three) with someone who had long legs. He’s funny, too, and we like to do our own stuff.

You’ve become a visiting professor in mental health nursing at the University of Surrey. What’s the appeal of academia? Nothing is better than discussing something I’m passionate about with someone who knows more than me – it’s my ultimate high. Give me brains over comedy any day. Too much comedy is centred on dating and cats.

Frazzled starts nationwide in January (rubywax.net). Ruby’s book, A Mindfulness Guide for the Frazzled, is out now

FIND OUT MORE Read an extended version of our exclusive interview with Ruby Wax at saga.co.uk/dec-mag

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

2016

Six great books for a winter’s afternoon

Detective stories, romances and historical adventures to curl up in front of the fire with, chosen by Kate Saunders CLOSED CASKET Sophie Hannah A brand new (and fiendishly puzzling) case for Hercule Poirot – seriously, what could be more blissful? The beloved Belgian detective is in a country house in Ireland, where his hostess suddenly announces that she is

disinheriting her children. Sophie Hannah brings extra intelligence and humour to the Poirot brand. Gorgeous. UNDER A POLE STAR Stef Penney Flora Mackie, heroine of this heart-thumping historical adventure

by the author of the Costa-winning The Tenderness of Wolves, is leading an expedition to the Arctic. There she promptly – and disastrously – falls in love with a rival expedition leader. Caution: read when warm and cosy. Descriptions of the frozen landscapes are spine-tinglingly good.

DEATH IN THE TUSCAN HILLS Marco Vichi Inspector Bordelli has resigned in disgust over a botched murder investigation. He retreats into the hills, being bitter and cooking, until fate takes another twist. The descriptions of Tuscany are mouthwatering, never mind the lovely food.

SWING TIME Zadie Smith The energy, wit and intelligence of Smith’s writing give her novels the ultimate feelgood buzz. Swing Time follows the friendship and rivalry of two women who meet as little girls at dance class in 1982; the unnamed narrator notices Tracey because she’s the only other ‘brown girl’. Brilliant.

A YEAR AND A DAY Isabelle Broom A glorious romance in Prague over one fateful weekend. Megan is kidding herself that her trip with Ollie is purely business. Hope has been whisked away as a surprise, but can’t stop fretting about her daughter, and Sophie is waiting for her boyfriend. Delicious armchair travel-porn.

Stocking-filler book= BARK! THE HERALD ANGELS SING Peter Thorpe Just how cute is this! For 25 years, photographer Peter Thorpe’s terriers Paddy and, later, Raggle have posed for his Christmas card to family and friends. Their howling success is chronicled in this delightful little festive volume, interspersed with carols and out-takes from the shoots. Even Scrooge’s heart would melt.

ROGER STILLMAN. BOOKS EDITOR: SUE PRICE

TAKE NOTE

HHHHH “SENSA TIONAL HHHH The TIMES

THE GUARDIAN

THEMOST ROMANTIC FILM OF THEYEAR” Metro

HHHH

daily express

metro

ALOVESTORYFORTHEAGES” Baz Bamigboye, Daily Mail

AN AMMA

ASANTE FILM

THE TRUE STORY OF A LOVE THAT INSPIRED THE WORLD

IN CINEMAS 25TH NOVEMBER /A UNITED KINGDOM FILM

AUNITED KINGDOM

BOOK NOW AUNITEDKINGDOMFILM.COM

TAKE NOTE

Street style

D E C A D E B U ST E R S

What the well-dressed Saga Magazine reader is wearing in… December

I’ve never had to wear a suit to work. I play the double bass in The James Hunter Six and I wear what I’ve got on. When we tour the States I get to buy from thrift shops. I got this bag there.

TURNING 50 Kiefer Sutherland Actor Sinéad O’Connor Singer

Hands-free and weight distributing,

cross-body bags add a dynamic diagonal flair to a classic jacket.

TURNING 60 Nigel Kennedy Musician Dave Murray Musician

Make the shoes the pop-out detail of your outfit. These brogue

stylista

Chelsea boots

JASON WILSON, 50 wears a classic wool double-breasted pea coat for a take-you-anywhere, laid-back look

A vintage accessory – this scarf is 1930s – adds individuality.

Selling fresh air

It seems bananas, but with pollutants increasing, we’ve seen an increase in entrepreneurs going into, well, thin air. Aethaer This British company is ‘farming’ air from Somerset, Wales and Dorset and shifting it to China for £80 a jar. Seriously. Apparently the Chinese are their main customers. Momentum Designer Fabian Zeijler has come up with Momentum – elegant,

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

2016

cone-shaped ‘aerometers’ that rotate gently if they detect low air quality, dust or low oxygen. Vitality Air This Canadian start-up is shipping cans of air from the Rocky Mountains to the UK for a mere £18.50 a pop. Awair More seriously, Amazon and Nest have teamed up with Bitfinder, whose Awair device monitors CO2 levels, humidity and dust levels, scoring your home’s air quality from 0 to 100.

TURNING 70 Marianne Faithfull Singer Jane Birkin Actress Emerson Fittipaldi Racing driver

Janet Street-Porter Broadcaster

Peter Lorimer Footballer Steven Spielberg Film director

TURNING 80 Tommy Steele Entertainer TURNING 100 Kirk Douglas Actor

ALAMY, GETTY

are by Loake and go with everything.

T R E N D WATC H

(Iron Maiden)

S AG A

GARY BARLOW

AND

T I M F I R T H ’S

PERFORMANCES FROM 28TH JANUARY 2017 TICKET PRICES NO BOOKING FEES PREVIEWS £25.00 £35.00 £45.00 £55.00 FROM 24TH FEBRUARY £29.50 £49.50 £59.50 £69.50

THEGIRLSMUSICAL.COM | 0844 871 7622 Calls cost 7p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge.

M AS G IF T! TH E PE RF EC T C H RI ST

PHOENIX THEATRE LONDON

RAYMOND GUBBAY presents RAYMOND GUBBAY AND THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL PRESENT

Back with their new show ‘S WING T IME ’

LIGHTS • LASERS • FIREWORKS MUSIC • DANCE • OPERA • BALLET Featuring The Nutcracker, Die Fledermaus, Swan Lake, Harry Potter, La bohème, The Merry Widow, Sorcerer's Apprentice and many more . . . John Rigby conductor Claire Rutter soprano Peter Auty tenor The Jingle Belle Dancers Star Soloists from The Russian State Ballet of Siberia

ROYAL PHILHARMONIC CONCERT ORCHESTRA

TUES 27 & THURS 29 DECEMBER 2.30 & 7.00PM FRIDAY 30 DECEMBER 2.30PM

ROYAL ALBERT HALL 020 7838 3100

royalalberthall.com

Russia’s acclaimed ballet company returns in 2017

La Fille mal gardée Coppélia Swan Lake Giselle The Nutcracker

Performed by The Russian State Ballet of Siberia Accompanied by The Orchestra of the Russian State Ballet 3 - 4 Jan 5 - 7 Jan 9 - 11 Jan 12 - 14 Jan 16 - 18 Jan 19 - 21 Jan 23 - 25 Jan 26 - 28 Jan 29 Jan & 26 Feb 30 Jan - 1 Feb 2 - 4 Feb 5 - 7 Feb 9 - 11 Feb 12 - 15 Feb 16 - 19 Feb 20 - 22 Feb 23 - 25 Feb

MANCHESTER The Bridgewater Hall 0161 907 9000 BUXTON Opera House 01298 72190 PORTSMOUTH Guildhall 0844 847 2362 BRIGHTON Theatre Royal 0844 871 7650 BLACKPOOL Grand Theatre 01253 290190 BRISTOL Hippodrome 0844 871 3012 BASINGSTOKE The Anvil 01256 844244 NORWICH Theatre Royal 01603 63 00 00 SOUTHEND Cliffs Pavillion 01702 351135 LIVERPOOL Empire Theatre 0844 871 3017 LEICESTER De Montfort Hal 0116 233 3111 WOLVERHAMPTON Grand Theatre 01902 429212 WIMBLEDON New Wimbledon Theatre 0844 871 7646 MALVERN Festival Theatre 01684 892277 HIGH WYCOMBE Swan Theatre 01494 512000 BOURNEMOUTH Pavilion Theatre 0844 576 3000 IPSWICH Regent Theatre 01473 433100 Call venue box office for programme details

Richard Balcombe conductor

Lance Ellington star vocalist

Six world class Ensemble Dancers. Plus the full 25 piece London Concert Orchestra Thurs Fri Sat Sun Fri Sat Sun Tues Wed Fri Sat Fri Sat Sun Wed Fri Sat Sun Fri Sat Sun Wed Thurs Sat Sun Thurs Sat Sun Thurs Sat Sun

26 27 28 29 3 4 5 7 8 10 11 17 18 19 22 24 25 26 3 4 5 8 9 11 12 23 25 26 30 1 2

JAN 7.30pm JAN 7.30pm JAN 2.30 & 7.30pm JAN 3.00pm FEB 7.30pm FEB 7.30pm FEB 3.00pm FEB 7.30pm FEB 2.00 & 7.30pm FEB 7.45pm FEB 2.30 & 7.30pm FEB 7.30pm FEB 3.00 & 7.30pm FEB 3.00pm FEB 7.30pm FEB 7.30pm FEB 3.00 & 7.30pm FEB 3.00pm MAR 7.30pm MAR 7.30pm MAR 3.00pm MAR 8.00pm MAR 2.30 & 8.00pm MAR 2.30 & 7.30pm MAR 5.00pm MAR 7.30pm MAR 7.30pm MAR 3.15pm MAR 7.30pm APR 3.00 & 7.30pm APR 3.00pm

NORTHAMPTON Royal & Derngate NORTHAMPTON Royal & Derngate BIRMINGHAM Symphony Hall AYLESBURY Waterside Theatre SHEFFIELD City Hall LIVERPOOL Philharmonic Hall NOTTINGHAM Royal Concert Hall BRADFORD Alhambra Theatre BRADFORD Alhambra Theatre BASINGSTOKE The Anvil LONDON Barbican Hall READING The Hexagon GUILDFORD G live CARDIFF St. David’s Hall GATESHEAD The Sage STOKE Victoria Hall MANCHESTER The Bridgewater Hall BRISTOL Hippodrome DUNDEE Caird Hall EDINBURGH Usher Hall GLASGOW Royal Concert Hall SOUTHEND Cliffs Pavilion SOUTHEND Cliffs Pavilion BOURNEMOUTH Pavilion Theatre SOUTHAMPTON Mayflower Theatre LLANDUDNO Venue Cymru BELFAST Waterfront DUBLIN National Concert Hall LEICESTER De Montfort Hall YORK Barbican MILTON KEYNES Theatre

01604 624811 01604 624811 0121 780 3333 0844 871 7607 0114 2 789 789 0151 709 3789 0115 989 5555 01274 432 000 01274 432 000 01256 844 244 020 7638 8891 0118 960 6060 0844 7701 797 029 2087 8444 0191 443 4661 0844 871 7649 0161 907 9000 0844 871 3012 01382 434 940 0131 228 1155 0141 353 8000 01702 351 135 01702 351 135 0844 576 3000 02380 711811 01492 872 000 028 9033 4455 01 417 0000 0116 233 3111 0844 854 2757 0844 871 7652

CHRISTMAS with

BACH Ave Maria GRUBER Silent Night WILLCOCKS Sussex Carol ANDERSON A Christmas Festival and CAROLS FOR ALL O come, all ye faithful The first Nowell Hark! the herald angels sing Toby Purser conductor Jennifer France soprano Lucas Pinto treble The London Chorus London Concert Orchestra

Thursday 22 & Friday 23 December 7.30pm 020 7638 8891

SEATS AVAILABLE FROM raymondgubbay.co.uk

barbican.org.uk (24hrs/bkg fees apply)

Calls will cost 7ppm plus your network access charge.

0844 847 2319

TAKE NOTE

The big 6

COURTESY OF WARNER BROS. PICTURES, AGATHA CHRISTIE PRODUCTIONS AND MAMMOTH SCREEN/ROBERT VIGLASKY

Calling all culture vultures: here are the must-see, listen-to and go-to experiences in December In this suspenseful, satisfying entertainment celebrating T VPICFK I L M humble courage and OUR THOEUR PICK quiet heroism, Tom Hanks, OF TH far left, plays the part of OF THE MON MONTH a veteran airline pilot who crash-lands skilfully on New York’s Hudson River when his plane’s engines falter shortly after take-off. Miraculously, he manages to save his passengers’ lives, but then must face an official enquiry that questions his judgment. Director Clint Eastwood ratchets up the tension, while Hanks plays his reluctant hero to perfection.

Floats our boat

Tom Hanks stars in the blockbuster, Sully B OX S E T

BILLIONS This year’s fast-talking wise-guy treat was Damian Lewis as the lovable, complex and very shady billionaire Bobby Axelrod under investigation by Paul Giamatti’s flawed district attorney. It’s like The Big Short meets The West Wing. Available on Sky Box Sets and DVD.

ALBUM

BLUE & LONESOME The Rolling Stones ‘Five decades in the making and just three days to record!’ the Stones announced after knocking out their 25th studio album in Chiswick, West London. Full of classics by their blues heroes – Howlin’ Wolf, Little Walter, Jimmy Reed – it’s a rambunctious return to the music they played when starting out. They sound like teenagers again. Out Dec 2, Polydor

T H E AT R E

MARY STUART London It takes some nerve to not know which role you are going to play, minutes before you go on stage. But in this new production of Schiller’s tragedy, Juliet Stevenson and Lia Williams will trade the roles of Elizabeth I and Mary Stuart by tossing a coin at each performance. Both will no doubt take it in their stride. Almeida Theatre, from Dec 2 to Jan 21, almeida.co.uk, 020 7359 4404

EXHIBITION CITY SCULPTURE PROJECTS 1972 Leeds A hugely ambitious scheme in the 1970s intended to engage people with modern sculpture is being revisited. Open-air exhibitions took place in eight cities around the country and this show, at the Henry Moore Institute, looks back at the impact, with many of the original works on display. Nov 24-Feb 19, henry-moore.org, 0113 246 7467

From Dec 2, at cinemas nationwide

CHRISTIE Vs MAIGRET The BBC’s much-vaunted ‘A Christie for Christmas’ idea – following the success of And Then There Were None last year – moves on to The Witness for the Prosecution. Kim Cattrall, below, Toby Jones and Andrea Riseborough star. Having lost Agatha to Auntie, ITV strikes back with two fresh Maigrets – with Rowan Atkinson in adaptations of Night at the Crossroads and Maigret in Montmartre. The ratings war will be murder. See listings for details 2016

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

The best gift of all

– give the lifelong love of reading

Ignite a child’s imagination with these beautiful HarperCollins children’s books Children will adore the inventiveness of David Walliams’ hilarious books

E X Q U I S I T E LY F U N N Y, T E N D E R AND TOUCHING, IT’S AN U T T E R LY O R I G I N A L A N D U N F O R G E T TA B L E A D V E N T U R E

THE MIDNIGHT GANG For independent readers

David Walliams’ brand new novel, eagerly awaited by millions of fans, tells the heart-warming and funny story of five children on a hospital ward. When Tom gets hit on the head by a cricket ball, he ends up in hospital, presided over by a wicked matron. But he

and his new-found friends – the Midnight Gang – are about to embark on an epic journey of a lifetime! It’s a spellbinding story of friendship and dream fulfilment that will sprinkle magic over everyone’s Christmas. Hardback £12.99 Audio CD £9.99

Meet the author DAVID WALLIAMS Known by many for his TV comedy, David is also Britain’s No.1 bestselling children’s author with 12.5m books sold worldwide, and is regularly compared to Roald Dahl. His newest book The Midnight Gang is a big-hearted story – full of warmth and fun. ‘This is by far my most ambitious book, dealing with some serious themes in what I hope is an entertaining, amusing way,’ says David.

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

THE WORLD’S WORST CHILDREN For the whole family This is a wickedly funny and wonderfully surreal collection of ten stories about ten delightfully dreadful children – five beastly boys and five gruesome girls! David Walliams’ unique take on the classic cautionary tale will absorb and amuse even the most reluctant reader. Hardback £14.99

2016

THERE’S A SNAKE IN MY SCHOOL! For pre-schoolers This sssspectacularly funny picture book from David Walliams, illustrated byTony Ross, is bound to be a big hit. Miranda loves to be different, and on ‘bring-your-pet-to-school day’ she introduces everyone to... Penelope, her pet python. The hilarious consequences make this a laugh-a-minute book, full of the kind of mischief that Walliams’ young fans have grown to love. Great fun to read out loud too! Hardback £12.99

ADVERTISING FEATURE Great for young readers

THE FOX AND THE GHOST KING Michael Morpurgo

Meet the author

This is the beautiful fable of an underdog win and the love between father and son. The stories of the discovery of the body of Richard III in a car park and the astounding premiership success story of Leicester City FC are woven together into a magical tale, featuring footy-loving foxes and some ghostly help. Its uplifting message of dreams coming true is the kind of animal story so loved by Morpurgo fans both young and old. The book features black and white illustrations by award-winning artist Michael Foreman. Hardback £9.99

MICHAEL MORPURGO Michael is one of Britain’s best-loved authors, with more than 100 books to his name. ‘Leicester City are dubbed the foxes. So I had the idea of football, Shakespeare and a king all coming together. Amazingly, when I was writing it, a fox wandered up my lawn and looked at me, as if to say “go on, just write it”.’

Perfect for pre-school children

THREE LITTLE MONKEYS Quentin Blake & Emma Chichester Clark This generous and beautiful picture book is a remarkable landmark collaboration between Quentin and Emma. It brings to life the story of Hilda Snibbs and the three impish monkeys who turn her life upside down in a lively story of forgiveness and love. Hardback £12.99

MOG TIME TREASURY Judith Kerr Mog the lovable cat’s antics have entertained countless children since her first appearance in 1970. This gorgeous gift volume contains six favourite Mog stories; from Mog the Forgetful Cat to Mog’s Christmas, this is one to curl up with and read with the little one in your life. Hardback £19.99

THE CRAYONS GIFT SET Drew Daywalt & Oliver Jeffers Illustrated by the award-winning Oliver Jeffers, these international bestsellers bring to life a funny cast of disgruntled crayons. The Day the Crayons Quit and The Day the Crayons Came Home come in an exquisite slipcase, with an original Oliver Jeffers Art Print. Great for encouraging creativity. Gift set £29.99

Available everywhere books are sold! 2016

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

Help combat loneliness

PHONE A

Saga has teamed up with The Silver Line, a Would you help us bring a little cheer to

Il lust r at ion by R obi n B oyden

FIND OUT MO R E For our full-length interview with Dame Esther Rantzen, visit saga.co.uk/dec-mag The Silver Line helpline is available 24 hours a day, call 0800 4 70 80 90

hen Saga was looking for its first-ever national charity partner, one organisation seemed a particularly good fit. The Silver Line, which was founded by Dame Esther Rantzen in 2013, is a 24-hour helpline for older Britons, aimed at combating loneliness. The free, confidential facility offers advice, links callers to local social groups and services, supports those suffering abuse, and volunteers even have weekly phone chats with people, striking up real friendships. The Silver Line recently passed its one-millionth call and Saga is hoping to help it raise £1.65 million in muchneeded running costs, and recruit more volunteers. ‘For many of The Silver Line’s users, it is much more than just a conversation – it’s often a lifeline,’ says Saga chief executive officer, Lance Batchelor. ‘This is so close to the driving force of what Saga stands for.’

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

2016

W H Y DA M E E ST H E R R A N T Z E N STA R T E D T H E S I LV E R L I N E ‘I remember taking one of the very first calls at The Silver Line and this wonderful lady said to me, “This has made me feel like I am part of the human race,”’ recalls Dame Esther, who set up the charity after the huge success of Childline, the

telephone counselling service that has helped more than four million youngsters. ‘Conversations like that make my heart soar and I think most of our volunteers will have experienced something very

A great team: Dame Esther Rantzen and Saga CEO Lance Batchelor

CHARITY APPEAL

FRIEND

24-hour helpline for isolated people. someone alone this Christmas?

H E R E ’S H OW YO U C A N H E L P Donate to or volunteer for The Silver Line... similar. Loneliness attacks your confidence, your self-esteem. ‘I believe that the biggest problem in modern life is that we are all – and I’m talking about every age group – just too busy to go and see that elderly relative or neighbour. But there are 90-yearolds and 20-year-olds volunteering for us, alongside plenty of 50 and 60-somethings. There is no age limit. Though The Silver Line has been a great success, now receiving around 10,000 calls each week, Dame Esther, 76, warns that additional funding is vital. ‘If we can’t raise an extra £1.65 million, we might have to cut the night-time service, which would be a tragedy because more than two-thirds of our calls are at night. That’s when loneliness strikes. Our partnership [with Saga] can transform The Silver Line and the lives of so many older people throughout the UK.’

.. . BY P O ST If you require an acknowledgment, please tick this box 

...O N L I N E

thesilverline.org.uk/ SAGAdonate

 I enclose a cheque donation made payable to: The Silver Line for £ _________ TITLE

NAME

... BY P H O N E

SURNAME

020 7224 2020

ADDRESS

Monday to Friday (9am to 5.30pm)

P O STC O D E EMAIL DAT E G I F TA I D I T

... BY T E X T

 I am a UK taxpayer: please reclaim Gift Aid on my donation, worth an extra 25p for every £1 (To qualify, what you pay in tax must at least equal the amount we claim in the new tax year)

To give £5, text ALONE to 70555 Cost is donation, plus standard network charge

Please enclose this coupon with your donation and send it to: The Silver Line, 19-23 Featherstone Street, London EC1Y 8SL.

... BY B E C OM I N G A VO LU N T E E R The charity would love more people to help with its work. Find out how you can get involved at saga.co.uk/silverline

 By ticking this box you confirm that you would like The Silver Line to reclaim tax on your donation(s). You also confirm that you pay enough UK income or Capital Gains tax to cover all of your donations and understand that other taxes such as Council Tax and VAT do not qualify you for Gift Aid. The Silver Line is a registered charity,no. 1147330

2016

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

Kitchens for every home at Christmas To receive your FREE Lamona cookbook, contact your local depot to arrange a home survey & kitchen design service. Talk to your local builder about Howdens, and visit howdens.com/saga12 to ďŹ nd your local depot, or call 0800 0639 812 to request a brochure.

Kitchen Featured is Clerkenwell Gloss Grey & White

WATCHING HIS FLOCK Perhaps only in Britain could a former pop star and gay activist become one of the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best-loved vicars and host of one of its most popular radio shows. But the cleric, author, broadcaster, former Communard and vicar of Finedon,

THE REV RICHARD COLES has pulled off just that. Here he brings his own brand of candour and contemplation to the matter of Christmas

Words by James D el ingp ol e

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

2016

INTERVIEW

Ã&#x2019;

I T WA S S O M U C H E A S I E R W H E N FA M I L I E S L I V E D NE AR ONE ANOTHER, AND CHILDREN COULD POP IN TO VISIT E L D E R LY P A R E N T S 2016

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

INTERVIEW

Christmas Day is probably the Reverend Richard Coles’ least favourite event in the religious calendar.

PREVIOUS PAGE PAL HANSEN/CONTOUR/GETTY. THIS PAGE GUARDIAN NEWS & MEDIA LTD

He’ll wake up ‘extremely grumpy’, possibly hungover and tired after a late night leading Midnight Mass, breakfast reluctantly on smoked salmon, champagne and caviar (‘All I really want is a Weetabix’) and probably hand over the morning-service duties to an assistant while he sits trying to shut his ears to all those flipping carols. From any other clergyman, this might be a career-ending confession. But for Coles – arguably Britain’s best-loved vicar, thanks to his bestselling books and BBC Radio 4 morning show Saturday Live – it’s all part of his genteelly edgy charm. Coles, 54, denies being a national treasure (‘a national trinket, maybe’) but concedes that like his hero Alan Bennett he can do little wrong in his adoring

“

SOME FIND SPIRITUALIT Y IN ART GALLERIES. OTHERS IN DRUGS OR SEX. I’VE TRIED THEM ALL

public’s eyes. ‘There’s a danger if you’re a vicar on Radio 4 that you’ll drown in a sea of whimsy. I do try to spoil it by talking about my heinous past but it just seems to reinforce it in a funny sort of way,’ he says. But, yes, he does have a problem with Christmas. Partly it’s a legacy of his stint at a posh church in London’s Knightsbridge where he took so many celebrity-studded charity Yuletide services he’d have to endure Hark! The Herald Angels some 30 times in a season; partly it’s the same cussed streak

that led him in the 1980s to defy his conventional, public-school-educated, middle-class upbringing and become a radical left-wing drug-taking pop star. ‘There’s part of me that’s the ghost at the feast: while everyone’s having fun, part of me wants to spoil it,’ he says. His partner David (also a clergyman), on the other hand, adores Christmas. While Coles would happily retire to bed in his pyjamas with a bottle of whisky and a box set of The Walking Dead, David keeps the festive spirit alive. After their turkey dinner, which they’ll share with Coles’ recently widowed mother, Coles will take their four dachshunds – Daisy, Pongo, Audrey and H – for a long walk while David fills stockings for the dogs with little presents ‘but not in front of them in case it spoils the surprise’. In person – wearing his dog collar, of course, as high-church Anglicans do – Coles is every bit as delightful as he is on the radio: frank, witty, gossipy and intelligent. But he is most passionate and erudite observing the changing face of religion in Britain. Our lack of, and the importance of, spirituality troubles him. ‘You see people wither for the lack of it. I notice it more and more in art galleries and museums. People seem to want from that an experience which they once would have had from faith. I read recently that people are hard-wired for prayer, in the sense of the numinous and the transcendent – and in a materialistic world it’s difficult to find. We all have this need for something that gives us a sense of a greater dimension. A lot of people these days seem to find it in art galleries. Others choose drugs or sex. God knows I’ve tried all of them. ‘But I prefer the Anglican church. It might not fill the dancefloor but what I like is that it’s available to people in a way that isn’t too embarrassing. It’s very important not to underestimate the British personal fear of embarrassment. So with the Church of England you can do religion without it being embarrassing. Also it’s simply there. There’s a givenness about it, which I think is good. There’s “Church Lane”, the C of E primary school, the vicar – they’re just there.’ He has no time for the fashionable trend for militant atheism (‘those people who 

R I C H A R D C O L E S’

Wit wisdom My father thought

religion was a bit weird,

along with yoga and quiche.

Sometimes I loathe religion. I loathe it when it is adopted as a cosmic justification for a political agenda that needs to turn its vices into virtues and its violence into crusade or jihad. You cannot be a

Christian homophobe. A bishop went into a bookshop the other day and found the theology

section no longer there. When he enquired, he was told it had been ‘moved for Christmas’.

Growing up gay in 1970s Britain was like

being a paedophile now – it was a life that seemed to offer only disgrace. I had a powerful vivid conversion experience, the burning bush, the voice from heaven and all that. Twenty years later you are handing out hymn books and arranging chairs. I hadn’t realised quite how much the discipleship of Jesus Christ would involve keeping up with email. 2016

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

INTERVIEW 

PHOTOSHOT, ALAMY

sneer “How’s your imaginary friend?”’), nor for the notion that religion creates the world’s worst ills. ‘There were two regimes in the 20th century, both of them secular and atheist – [he means Nazism and Communism] – which seemed to have no restraint on their willingness for murder.’ In any case, he notes, Anglicanism has rather less to do with the ‘blood-dimmed tide’ than with ‘making cribs out of papier mâché.’ Since finding God he has never been troubled by doubts about his faith, nor by the ‘existential anguish’ of the drug- and sex-fuelled wild years following his stint with The Communards (best known for their number-one hit Don’t Leave Me This Way). And yes, of course, the message of Christmas is as relevant as ever it was – even in these days of declining church attendance. ‘It’s a very powerful one really. The perception that on a cold, dark night all of a sudden an unexpected light breaks and the world looks different…’ Even if you’ve never heard him preach, you can tell from his new book Bringing in the Sheaves – a series of often hilarious vignettes about his life as priest – he takes great care of his pastoral duties, fielding 2am calls, visiting the sick and dying. Even though one parishioner took exception to Coles reading him psalms during a bedside vigil, with ‘shut up, you stupid tw*t’. ‘For an attention-seeking egotist like me the toughness of the job is quite exacting,’ he says. ‘You have to be patient and forbearing, which I’m not. I shout at David a lot.’ Though his long-suffering civil partner is keen on the idea of formalising their relationship with marriage, Coles is less so. ‘It would put us in a bad odour,’ he says, referring to the Church’s position on gay clergy – permitting civil partnerships but not same-sex marriage. Despite his radical left-wing youth – he was a co-founder of Red Wedge – Coles can be quite the traditionalist. For example, he won’t marry in church divorcees who have previously had church weddings because they would be breaking their vows in sight of God. Coles’ politics have mellowed with age, however. He’d still like to see a Labour government, though not one run by Jeremy

The Rev Richard Coles with fellow Communard Jimmy Somerville in 1986, when they had a number-one hit. Below: Christmas isn’t his favourite time of year, but the dachshunds still expect stockings

Corbyn, whose supporters’ anti-Semitism he finds particularly troubling. He once dubbed Corbyn’s Labour as ‘80s revival night. It is very difficult to feel it’s credible’. And he has more pressing things to worry about, such as his older parishioners. ‘It was so much easier when families lived near one another, and children could pop in to visit elderly parents. But now children are often scattered across the world. Also, people live so much longer and we haven’t found a way of supporting them. I’ve no idea what the answer is.’ Coles speaks with feeling, having seen his late father suffer tremendously with Alzheimer’s, and witnessed the inadequacy of the state support provided for his mother. It’s clear Coles feels more comfortable in late middle age than in his misspent youth. ‘I’m past most of the physical self-loathing that drove me to such despair. Quite often I’ll catch myself glancing in the full-length mirror of some hotel bathroom and experiencing only mild regret at the decline of such meagre resources as I once had.’ Much to his amazement – though he has long since taken a vow of celibacy – he still finds people occasionally flirting with him. ‘They’re called cassock chasers. I once expressed surprise at this to a woman. She said: “Ah, well, you never saw The Thorn Birds…’’’

MO R E O N L I N E Read a Christmas message from the Right Reverend Libby Lane, Britain’s first female bishop, at saga.co.uk/dec-mag

Bringing in the Sheaves: Wheat and Chaff from My Years as a Priest is available now

2016

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

Cheers! From left, keen cavers Duncan Price, John Cooper, Nick Butler, Judith Vanderplank, Andrew Chamberlain and Jonathan Daâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Casto, raise a plastic cup in The Old Grotto at Swildonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hole in the Mendip Hills

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

2016

THE WAY WE ARE

YOU’RE DOING WHAT?!

Christmas Day needn’t be all about turkey, family rows and TV. Hundreds of Brits choose to spend it in a very different way Words by Simon Hemelr y k Por t raits by D unc an Sime y and S e an Ma lyon

2016

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

Festive fell walkers

Cumbrian couple Simon and Maria Day will spend December 25 scaling one of England’s highest mountains ‘Christmas is about spending time with the person you love,’ says Maria, a children’s project worker. And, true to her word, ever since she and Simon got together ten years ago, they have spent the day climbing rugged 3,000ft Lake District peaks, such as Helvellyn, Crinkle Crags and Scafell Pike, savouring each other’s company. ‘There’s such peace and tranquillity up there,’ Maria adds. ‘The views never cease to be amazing – something different all year round.’ ‘You can’t hear the Queen’s Speech, either,’ jokes Simon, a 50-year-old who works with young offenders. The couple have a meal with Simon’s grown-up son on Boxing Day, but their other children live abroad and, says Maria, ‘While not meaning to be “bah humbugs”, we’re just not really Christmas people – it’s become all about money and expensive gifts.’ Instead, Simon and Marie share egg sandwiches, a small bottle of champagne and a couple of easily packable presents – think a scarf rather than a new power drill – at the summit of whichever fell they decide to climb. ‘We don’t go if the weather’s really, really dreadful,’ says Maria. ‘But once on Fairfield, it was so windy and rainy that we had to crouch behind a stone

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

2016

THE WAY WE ARE wall. We couldn’t even open our Christmas gifts.’ On the rare occasion they see another walker, says Maria, ‘We always say “Happy Christmas” and assume we’re as mad as each other. We did Blencathra one year – it was freezing – and saw a woman wearing nothing but a dress.’ ‘She might have been a ghost,’ says Simon. The couple aren’t sure which mountain they’ll tackle this year, along with their dog Buster. ‘But as long as we feel fit and able, we’ll be going up the hills at Christmas,’ says Maria. ‘It’s so special.’

Santa’s grotto Dr Duncan Price, 52, has gone caving on Christmas Day for more than 30 years

While most of us are lolling about in our

O N C E I T WA S S O W I N DY WE HAD TO CROUCH B E H I N D A S TO N E WA L L

pyjamas opening presents, Duncan Price will be deep underground – and probably a little chilly. As usual, Duncan, who’s a chemical engineer from Wells in Somerset, will be scrabbling through the stunning limestone chambers and narrow passages of Swildon’s Hole, an extensive cave in the Mendips. He started this odd tradition when he was 19, during his university holidays. ‘A school friend had introduced me to caving that summer and we’d been going almost every day we could,’ he says. ‘We reckoned, “Why stop for Christmas Day?” Our parents thought it was a little odd, at 

2016

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

THE WAY WE ARE  first, but we were getting some

exercise, and we did the family dinner later.’ These days, Duncan is accompanied by his fellow caving devotee and fiancée, Naomi. They don’t have children and many of the friends who join them don’t have close relations to spend the day with. But, says Duncan, there is real camaraderie between the cavers,

Be a festive REBEL

If the typical family get-together doesn’t appeal, here are a few more alternative ways to spend Christmas Day

“

ALAMY, GETTY

I DON’T THINK W H AT W E D O I S T H AT U N U S U A L , R E A L LY. I T ’ S L I K E PEOPLE WHO LIVE BY THE SEA GOING SURFING

with people often bringing mince pies and Santa hats down into the caverns, and even getting together for a communal meal later in the day. ‘There are lots of caves and cavers in the Mendips, so I don’t think what we do is seen as particularly unusual, really,’ Duncan reasons. ‘It’s a bit like people who live by the sea going surfing…’ As well as a variety of fascinating rock formations, Swildon’s Hole has water running through it, and cavers need to go underwater to get through some passages, so it can be a challenging place to spend December 25. ‘Sometimes we’ve got so soaked and cold we’ve had to cut a trip short,’ says Duncan. ‘But caving gives you such a buzz. It’s a completely different world down there – the underworld. You see things other people just don’t at Christmas – close to nature, at one with the rock.’

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

2016

consciousness on a Findhorn Foundation retreat in northeast Scotland or take a mindfulness course with the Sharpham Trust in Devon. lbc.org.uk, 020 8981 1225; findhorn.org, 01309 691653; sharphamtrust.org, 01803 732542

Jump on a bus

Go swimming

Join hundreds of brave souls in Santa hats and not much else plunging into frigid British seas or lakes in locations such as Porthcawl, Lowestoft, Weymouth, Birmingham and London.

Cycle through London

The capital is pleasingly car-free on Christmas Day, so cyclists can enjoy freewheeling safely past the famous sights. Cyclists in

Southwark’s Christmas Day Ride start at 10am at Cutty Sark Gardens to cycle ten miles to the Edgware Road. It can attract more than 100 riders. cyclinguk.org.

Take a hike

From Stratfordupon-Avon to the Isle of Wight and Bodmin in Cornwall, local groups organise friendly, leisurely walks, exploring historic towns, or rambling through the countryside.

Coach firm Golden Tours offers several Christmas Day tours, including Windsor, Bath, Stonehenge and Canterbury Cathedral. goldentours.com, 020 7630 2028

Stuff the turkey

If the big bird and all the trimmings is a hassle, take inspiration from other laid-back households. One Kent family opts for boiled sausages in Oxo, some Hindus from Loughborough

have curry and Christmas pud, while another couple go for a cooking-free carpet picnic.

Reach for the skies

Dozens of flying enthusiasts, from hang-gliders to paramotor pilots, rise above the festive mêlée to enjoy a bird’s-eye view of Britain. Contact your local group.

Volunteer

Crisis at Christmas needs thousands of volunteers to help with everything from cooking lunch to putting on a musical performance to make sure Christmas Day goes with a swing. Good listeners wanted too. Your local homelessness projects will also be glad of help on Christmas Day. crisis.org.uk, 0300 636 1967

Get spiritual

Peace on Earth is a rare commodity when surrounded by your in-laws, but not if you spend the day meditating at the London Buddhist Centre, exploring

F I N D O U T MO R E For further details and other alternative ways to spend Christmas Day, visit saga.co.uk/dec-mag

IT’S

OUR

Sty

FAU

led

sb y

Ha rr nth is a C on oo pe

L T. . .

Fed up wit h Christma s cracker jo kes that m ak Well, don’t e you groan? read on, th en!

I’ve got a sponge front door. Hey, don’t knock it.

I used to file my What has lots nails but then of legs and I thought, what’s the point in keeping them? a machine gun? A caterkiller. The turkey I saw a coconutchallenged me flavoured biscuit to a fight. He threw playing football. It was down the giblet. Wayne Macarooney. My Christmas decorations are inflatable. I’m forever blowing baubles.

S AG A .CO.U K / D E C-M AG

2016

F E S T IV E F U N

D I D E W

! K AS

e what in V im T s r e n li f the oneo g in scraps k 5 e 1 h t im d h e e k v a g d We as rackers, an c e id s in t u p e up with... ld m a c e h he wou t a h w en. This is p a d n a r e p a p of

You invented Tipp-Ex. Correct me if I’m wrong.

My mum’s into roll reversal. She puts the ham on the outside.

I refuse to work I was going to in a coal mine. write my will today It’s beneath me. but then I thought, life’s too short. I went to a posh party I’ve got a horse where everyone was called Treacle. drinking and knitting. He’s got golden I got Pimm’s and stirrups. needles.

I went on a holiday with my horse. It was self-cantering.

I just got a text from heaven. It was a godsend.

I spent the past two weeks sitting on a large, hard book. It was my annual holiday. 2016

E V E N MO R E L AU G H S Tim Vine’s new stocking-filling live stand-up DVD Tim Timinee is out on November 28

S AG A .CO.U K / D E C-M AG

CHANGING LIVES

WORKING IN A WINTER WONDERLAND

Think you have a busy few weeks ahead? The festive season is an especially frenetic time for these three wise women, who all started their businesses in later life 38

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

2016

Words by Mel anie Whitehous e Photog raphs by Lydi a Evans

Taste of success NAME Alison Lilly AGE AT START-UP 54 COMPANY LillyPuds FOUNDED 2015 lison Lilly, 55, from Chelmsford, Essex, started LillyPuds after being made redundant from her job as a research manager. ‘Family and friends had always loved my Christmas puddings because they’re light and sweetened by lots of fruit, but going to a local food fair inspired me to sell them. I thought, “I could do this”. ‘My girls – Joanna, 34, and Jessica, 32 – were amazing and made all the marketing calls to get my products into farm shops and restaurants. Last year – my first year – I sold 600 puddings to retail and 2,500 individual puds to restaurants in just two months. I didn’t expect it to take off like it did – I’ve even won a Great Taste award. ‘I already had qualifications in food safety because I’d dipped in and out of the food business all my life, but the local environmental health (who advise on hygiene and the like) and trading standards people (for labelling, weights and measures and so on) were amazingly supportive. ‘This year I’m producing around 3,500 retail puds and about 5,000 individual ones for restaurants. Because I’d have needed about £50,000 to equip my kitchen, I’ve outsourced the traditional puddings to

MY F I R S T Y E A R I S O LD 6 00 P U D D I N G S TO R E TA I L A N D 2 , 5 00 TO R E S TAU R A N T S I N J U S T T WO M O N T H S

a firm that shares my handmade ethos. I’ll still be making 600 gluten-free puddings myself though! It means 15-hour days in the run-up to Christmas, but it’s so rewarding when you see someone enjoy your produce. ‘All the family chip in, on top of their day jobs. My husband Rod, 65, a building contractor, provides constant support; our daughter Joanna is my financial adviser; Jessica does the sales and marketing; and James, 30, handles the deliveries and packaging. We’re hard workers in our family! ‘I never thought I’d be running my own business at this point in my life, but I have plans for new puds for 2017. It’s so exciting.’

Christmas puddings from £6.45, lillypuds.co.uk

GETTING STARTED WHAT IT COST ‘I turned over £10,000 last year. It’ll be around £40,000 this year, but I must pay back my £10,000 investment.’ ALISON’S TIPS Check with your local Trading Standards office, gov.uk/find-local-tradingstandards-office, and Environmental Health (via your local council). Don’t be scared to cold call in person – and take samples with you! 

2016

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

CHANGING LIVES

Golden opportunity NAME Katie Mullally AGE AT START-UP 52 COMPANY Katie Mullally jewellery FOUNDED 2011 atie Mullally, 57, from Tunbridge Wells, Kent, started her jewellery business five years ago. ‘My children had grown up and I wanted to do something for myself, so I started taking silversmith classes. Inspired by working in my grandmother’s antiques business, I initially added vintage silver charms to bangles I made. Friends bought them, including one in Devon who wanted to sell them in her shop; then other stockists became interested. I began to design my own charms, adding London Assay hallmarks and my own hallmark KMM. ‘My jewellery – silver and gold-plated charms and hallmarked bars and circles – appeals to a wide age range. Model Vogue Williams and singer Ellie Goulding have both worn pieces. They’re a great Christmas gift – 90% of my online orders in December are from men. I sell through the Country Living Fairs, Fenwick in Tunbridge Wells and Canterbury, ASOS and the House of Fraser website. ‘These days I design the pieces and I work on the business rather than in it. I outsource everything so I won’t have to lay anybody off in quiet periods. I’ve had lots of support from UK Trade and Investment and the

“

M Y A DV I C E TO A N Y B O DY S TA R T I N G A B U S I N E S S I S TO D O W H AT YO U R E A L LY E N J OY

UK Fashion & Textile Association, which gave me a grant to go to Japan in 2014 and 2015 to represent the UK fashion trade. I now sell in Japan. ‘My advice to anybody starting a business is to do what you really enjoy. I still get a thrill from seeing a customer wearing one of my pieces. They’re all hallmarked with the year, so I hope I’ll see my jewellery on the Antiques Roadshow one day.’

Charms from £34, katiemullally.co.uk

GETTING STARTED WHAT IT COST ‘At the start, my mother and my husband Adrian invested £10,000 in the business because the outlay for silver and gold is hefty. Profits since have risen 20-fold.’ KATIE’S TIPS Check out the UK Fashion & Textile Association, ukft.org, which brings together designers, manufacturers, agents and retailers to promote businesses throughout the UK and internationally. Also try exportingisgreat.gov.uk for advice on all aspects of exporting your products.  2016

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

To ThoSE who ARE VulnERABlE AnD AlonE, i lEAVE CoMpASSion, REASSuRAnCE AnD hopE When you write or update your will, please remember the work of the British Red Cross.

The British Red Cross Society, incorporated by Royal Charter 1908, is a charity registered in England and Wales (220949), Scotland (SC037738) and Isle of Man (0752).

Making your will need not be complicated.

GET STARTED youR will- : plAnninG woRkShEET

To download your FREE will planner now go to redcross.org.uk/willplan2 or call 0300 500 0401 to request your copy

GET STARTED

Our FREE simple will planner helps you pull together all the information you need to prepare before meeting your solicitor.

CHANGING LIVES

Animal magic NAME Penny Lindop AGE AT START-UP 50 COMPANY Penny Lindop Designs FOUNDED 2003 enny Lindop, 63, runs her greetings card business from her home near Diss, Norfolk. ‘It took years for Penny Lindop Designs to evolve from a hobby to the business it is today. I’d met my husband Mike, now 71, when I worked as an archaeologist for the British Museum. When our two children – Emma, now 26, and Nicola, 25 – were little I’d do art with one of them while Mike bathed the other one. One night I was helping one of them and I literally stuck a bit of wool onto a splodge of blue ink that I’d daubed onto a bit of paper and lo, the first sheep was born. Sheep – as cards, calendars and artworks – have been the mainstay of my business ever since. ‘I didn’t turn over any money for the first eight years, but when Emma did Business Studies A level she advised me to do some high-end retail shows, and I signed up for my first Country Living Fair. I’ve been going twice a year for eight years, although I now sell a lot online and still do wholesale. Shows are physically demanding but necessary to build relationships with new customers. ‘I still do all the designing and I’m really fussy about quality. We distribute nationwide and abroad – everything from cards with cats, dogs, rabbits and sheep on them, to prints, calendars and sheep socks and ties! Christmas lasts all year here – we do loads of festive business with our cards, calendars

“

C H R I S TM A S L A S T S A L L YEAR HERE, BUT THERE’S A REAL SENSE O F AC H I E V E M E N T WHEN WE GET E V E R Y T H I N G I N TO THE SHOPS IN TIME

and gifts – but there’s a real sense of achievement when we get everything into the shops in time. ‘I’m surprised by our success. It’s not a huge business but I don’t want it to be. I run it from three log cabins in my garden – one for dispatch, one for admin and a third for photography – and employ three girls on a freelance basis plus various homeworkers in nearby villages. It makes me proud to give something back to the community.’

Christmas gift card packs from £6.60, pennylindop.com

GETTING STARTED WHAT IT COST ‘I’ve never borrowed any money and never been in the red. I’m VAT registered, with a turnover of more than £83,000, and have a nice little nest egg now.’ PENNY’S TIPS Be clear what your product is – you need something unique – and get everything costed up properly at the start, so you have a sensible wholesale price. The Design Trust, thedesigntrust.co.uk, has tons of invaluable advice on its website about starting a business. Join every kind of social media you can and get inspired by following those in businesses you admire. 2016

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

The general knowledge supremo, star of BBC One’s Eggheads and first £1m winner of Who Wants to be a Millionaire? puts your memory to the test with questions on everything from science and Shakespeare to recent events

Judith Keppel’s

CHRISTMAS QUIZ Il lust r at ions by R obin B oyden

S AG A .CO.U K / D E C-M AG

2016

QUIZ

In 2011, South Sudan became an independent country. What is the name of its capital?

2 Which online social networking service, which celebrated its first decade this year, was founded by its current CEO Jack Dorsey, Evan Williams and others? 3 What was the name of the Downing Street cat officially employed as Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office – serving under Margaret Thatcher, John Major and Tony Blair – who got his moniker from a character in the BBC sitcom Yes Minister? 4 If the cardinals taking part in a papal conclave look up to the ceiling, they may be inspired in their deliberations by the work of which artist?

5 A war memorial commemorating 72,246 British Empire servicemen with no known graves, who died at the Battle of the Somme some 100 years ago, takes its name from which nearby village? 6 In the Hitchcock film Psycho, who plays the woman who is stabbed to death in the shower? 7 The 1974 boxing match between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman, which was known as the Rumble in the Jungle, took place in which city?

What was the name of David Bowie’s last album, released two days before his death in January? 10 Which celebrated chef started Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons hotel-restaurant in 1984? 11 What name was given to the hypothetical substance that alchemists believed would turn base metals into gold? 12 Who wrote the fantasy novels on which the Game of Thrones TV series is based? 13 Name the British rider who won an individual gold medal for show jumping at this year’s Olympic Games in Rio?

In Greek mythology, while in the Underworld, Odysseus encounters the ghost of which blind seer of Thebes?

14 Who in the Bible used the jawbone of an ass to slay a thousand Philistines?

2016



S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

OAK WORTH R Ange

VALUE U P TO

SHOW CENTRE SPECIAL OFFER!

£350

P LU S

TAKE YOUR CHOICE FROM… 1. Your preferred fabric reduced to the next lower price category. 2. Three seater sofa for the price of a two seater 3. A free luxury pouffe to match your sofa and chairs 4. Upholstery care pack including arm protectors, castor glides and cleaning materials

10% OFF A LL R A N G E S

w Traditional handcrafted quality w Makers of exceptional British sofas and chairs for over 100 years

w Furniture individually made for every customer w On view nationwide at our 9 Show Centres w Available at over 200 independent retailers

RO M A R A n g e

01422 885000 or visit valebridgecraft.co.uk

For a free colour brochure call

*Enjoy the offer in addition to any existing sale discount. Deal must end 31 December 2016. Order must be placed through a Vale Bridgecraft Show Centre. See our website for full terms and conditions.

Please visit one of our Show Centres, where you can see all our ranges and complete selection of fabrics: Draycott

Felsted

Gateshead

Harewood Yard

Hebden Bridge

Gloucestershire GL56 9JU 01386 700458

Essex CM6 3LY 01371 821851

Tyne and Wear NE11 9YS 0191 488 3682

Leeds LS17 9LF 0113 898 0091

West Yorkshire HX7 5QF 01422 885000

Nutfield

Sheffield

Southampton

Warrington

Surrey RH1 4EJ 01737 822027

South Yorkshire S9 2EH 0114 261 8952

Hampshire SO30 2AU 01489 796479

Cheshire WA5 7TN 01925 571982

For opening times visit: valebridgecraft.co.uk

QUIZ WA N T YO U R P U B Q U I Z T E A M TO B E TO P O F T H E L E AG U E ? T H E N F O L LOW

Judith’s insider quizzing tips

What was the name adopted by the character born Richard ‘Dick’ Whitman in an American TV drama series? 16 Which of Shakespeare’s plays begins with the line: ‘If you shall chance, Camillo, to visit Bohemia…’? 17 What might a doctor detect with an Ishihara test? 18 Who became a presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Today programme last November, replacing James Naughtie? 19 Which politician said of Boris Johnson ‘[He] is the life and soul of the party, but he isn’t the man you want driving you home at the end of the evening’? 20 The Pigeon Tunnel is a memoir published this year by which British author?

READ THE N E WS PA P E R S F R OM C OV E R TO C OV E R All human life is there and so many quizzes have questions to do with ephemeral matters concerning sport, celebrities, politics and pop music. HARNESS PROBABILITY On Eggheads, I invented some little rules that allow me to guess at questions I don’t know the answer to. There are more islands in the Pacific than any other ocean, for instance, so if I’m asked where some atoll I’ve never heard of can be found, the Pacific is usually worth a try. Similarly, an unknown food is quite likely to be a cheese; there are hundreds of different kinds of antelopes and many rare creatures live in Madagascar. LO O K F O R C LU E S I try to read or listen to the wording of each quiz question very carefully. There may be indirect information that can point me towards the answer, such as a date or a place. If you know some Latin and/or Greek you can sometimes deconstruct a word to find the meaning, particularly in medical or botanical questions. For instance, most words that have hydro as a prefix come from the Greek word for water, and phobia is from the Greek for fear, hence the word hydrophobia.

USE MNEMONICS – B U T O N LY R E A L LY GOOD ONES There are hundreds of mnemonics and I find I spend as much time trying to recall them as the thing they’re supposed to be helping me remember. But some are nicely pithy, such as the one for the US presidents carved into Mount Rushmore: ‘Why Just Remember Lincoln’ (George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln himself). Then there’s ‘Super Man Helps Everyone Over’ for the Great Lakes (Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, Ontario). ‘Slap Egg’, meanwhile, reminds us of the Seven Deadly Sins (sloth, lust, anger, pride, envy, greed, gluttony). T R U ST YO U R I N ST I N C T S If all else fails, your unconscious mind stores all sorts of stuff that can pop up as an ‘inkling’ and lead to an inspired guess.

For more general knowledge quiz questions from Judith, visit saga. co.uk/dec-mag

A N S W E R S 1 Juba 2 Twitter 3 Humphrey (named after the civil servant Sir Humphrey Appleby, played by Nigel Hawthorne) 4 Michelangelo, whose paintings adorn the Sistine Chapel where the papal conclave takes place. 5 Thiepval 6 Janet Leigh 7 Kinshasa, Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo) 8 Tiresias 9 Blackstar 10 Raymond Blanc 11 The philosopher’s stone 12 George RR Martin 13 Nick Skelton 14 Samson 15 Don Draper from advertising industry drama Mad Men. Whitman stole the name from his dead Korean War commanding officer. 16 The Winter’s Tale 17 Colour blindness 18 Nick Robinson 19 Amber Rudd, the Home Secretary 20 John Le Carré 2016

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

Set sail in the Caribbean Don’t miss your chance to join this exciting fly cruise departing February 2017. Ease yourself into the Caribbean pace of life with an included three-night hotel stay in Jamaica, before embarking Saga Sapphire and sailing to the Dominican Republic and Barbados. You’ll then head across the Atlantic to explore the beautiful Azores and mainland Spain, before cruising home to the shores of Blighty.

Unmissable experiences created by our experts • Go barefoot during a three-night stay at an adults-only Jamaican resort – set on a stretch of private beach • Set off for an adventurous truck tour into the rural landscapes and sugar plantations of the Dominican Republic • Sail on a catamaran to swim with turtles in the crystal-clear waters off Barbados • Take a hike around the volcanic caldera of Horta in the Azores • Tour the ancient city of Santiago de Compostela in Spain

Montego Bay to Southampton February 26, 2017 ● 3 nights in a hotel and 17 nights aboard Saga Sapphire ● Flying from Gatwick

Saga Magazine subscribers:

SAVE

£500

PER PERSON – BOOK BY DECEMBER 23, 2016^

20† nights from £2,999 including optional travel insurance provided by Cigna Insurance Services (Europe) Limited or a reduction of £100 if not required§

INCLUDING… Return chauffeur service to the UK departure point, or free car parking ● Outward flight and transfer ● Three night all-inclusive hotel stay ● Optional travel insurance and additional cancellation rights, or a reduction if not required§ ● A choice of wines at lunch and dinner● All gratuities on board ● 24-hour room service ● Complimentary Wi-Fi – please call for full details. Calling at… UK-Montego Bay, Jamaica • Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic • Bridgetown, Barbados • Horta, Faial, Azores • Ferrol (for Santiago de Compostela), Spain • Southampton, England. Cruise code: S313C.

0800 051 3355 quoting DCSM4 Go online to saga.co.uk/fly-cruise Visit your local travel agent

§A reduction of £100 applies if you do not need the optional travel insurance and additional cancellation rights - call for details. † Includes three nights in a hotel. Fare is per person based on two people sharing the lowest available Inside cabin and includes the subscribers' offer as detailed. Fare was correct at the time of going to print and is subject to availability and change. ^Saga Magazine subscribers' offer: Save £500 per person on all available cabin grades when booking on or before December 23, 2016. Saving is off the current fare at the time of booking, cannot be combined with any other offer and is available to Saga Magazine subscribers and one travelling companion only. Cabins at the offer fares are limited and Saga reserves the right to extend, reduce or withdraw the offer at anytime without notice. Terms and conditions apply. Please call for all offer information and for details of the cabin guide and deck plans. Please note: All excursions mentioned are optional, at an additional cost, and are subject to availability and change. Some of the highlights detailed may only be seen on optional excursions or by exploring independently. TRAVEL INFORMATION: Fly economy class from Gatwick to Montego Bay with the scheduled services of Virgin Atlantic, including all airport taxes, fees and charges. Saga Holidays is a trading name of ST&H Ltd (registration no. 2174052). ST&H Ltd and Saga Cruises Ltd (registration no. 3267858) are subsidiaries of ST&H Group Ltd (registration no. 0720588). All three companies are registered in England and Wales. Registered Office: Enbrook Park, Sandgate, Folkestone, Kent CT20 3SE. With respect to general insurance products sold in the UK, ST&H Ltd is an appointed representative of Saga Services Limited, registered in England and Wales (company no. 732602), which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. For information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate visit www.atol.org.uk/ATOLCertificate. NHM-CC5079.

E V E R Y T H I N G YO U N E E D TO K N OW

Take ke Away Great

CH RISTM AS GIFT IDE AS

INSIDE 52 T R AV E L 66 FA S H I O N 71 B E AU T Y 75 H E A LT H 80 R E L AT I O N S H I P S 84 FOOD AND DRINK 90 GARDENING

GAP INTERIORS/DAN DUCHARS

95 M OTO R I N G 97 T E C H N O LO GY 1 01 MONEY 1 12 PROPERTY

2016

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

DREAM TRIP

Never been on a cruise? With so many fabulous trips on offer – from an exotic voyage to the tropics to a simple seven-nighter nearer home – a holiday on board ship is not to be missed. Guy Pierce answers some novices’ concerns

CRUISING FOR NEWBIES 52

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

2016

Travel TAKE AWAY xperienced cruise travellers will tell you it’s a wonderful way – if not the only way – to holiday; to explore the world in comfort, to take in sights you’d never otherwise see in a limited time. And, they’ll tell you, as for the food… the comfort… the service… the entertainment. But for the virgin cruiser, there’s often that element of ‘Erm, I’m not sure…’ They have their doubts. For a start, you don’t need a win on the Lottery to take a cruise, unless it’s that £1.3m, 115-day, round-the-world cruise for two you’re after. A week’s pootling around the Med can start at around £500 (check what extras there are) or exploring the Norwegian fjords – a favourite with first-timers – can be around £800. The canny cruiser will take advantage of early season deals, say in January, when companies may offer ‘price promises’, allowing you to secure your cruise knowing they will repay you the difference should prices come down later. So no more excuses – it’s anchors aweigh!

1 I don’t know where to go Some 70% of the world is covered by water and it’s just possible that half a dozen square miles of it haven’t been visited by a cruise liner. If a week-long visit to the Polar ice ranges or island-hopping in Polynesia is too daunting for your first cruise, then seven days down the Rhine or north into the Baltic will give you a taste of life aboard. Or sail around our own coastline; who knows what  you’ll learn about your own ‘backyard’?

You can’t beat watching the world go by, knowing it will very soon be cake o’clock

2016

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

2 I’ll need fancy new outfits

PREVIOUS PAGE: GETTY. THIS PAGE: 4 CORNERS, DANITA DELIMONT/AWL IMAGES, CENTURY FOX/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK, NEIL FARRIN/AWL IMAGES

Relaxed and informal is the way to go, though many passengers do like to get their glad rags out in the evening. Think ‘casual/ smart casual’. Most ships provide a laundry service so you needn’t take dozens of everything. Leaving from a British port, you’ll have a greater baggage allowance than if you’re fly-cruising (sailing from a foreign port). Your cruise line will advise on suitcase size/weight limits, and any relevant dress code – even naturist cruises have rules!

3 I’ll be bored at sea There is so much on offer to do while sailing between ports; many ships resemble a floating U3A, with well-stocked libraries, talks by experts and visiting celebs – you may get the piano/pottery/novelist bug by the time you get home. And the occasional rock legends perform too. OK, it wasn’t Woodstock but ‘I saw Crosby, Stills & Nash in mid-Atlantic’ is a pretty cool boast. And there are specialist cruises, where the dryland destinations focus on anything from ornithology to gardening, history or hiking.

4 I need the internet Most ships offer Wi-Fi access, enabled through your own phone or tablet, or through their computer suites. Most cruise

“

THERE IS SO MUCH ON OFFER TO DO WHILE SAILING BETWEEN PORTS; MANY SHIPS R E S E M B L E A F L O AT I N G U 3 A

F I R ST-T I M E FAVO U R I T E S Five great destinations for your maiden voyage

CANARIES

H AVA N A

N O RWAY

Year-round sunshine makes the islands

The Cuban capital with still-standing

Scandinavia is always a popular

ideal for short-cruise beach bunnies and off-the-beaten-track explorers alike

pre-revolution architecture, wonderful nightlife and music everywhere is a Caribbean must-see

choice, cruising the fjords and hoping to see the Northern Lights

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

2016

Travel TAKE AWAY G E T I N TO THE CRUISE G R O OV E

Inspiration for before you go – or even when you’re on board THE BOOK

Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie Left: Saga Pearl II moored in Russia with St Petersburg Cathedral in the background. Above: the stylish interior of a suite on board

lines will charge (Saga’s Wi-Fi is free) and you’ll be better off buying a ‘bundle’. If you have the willpower, wait until you hit dry land and seek out the nearest Wi-Fi café – ask a member of the crew where they go. However, if you have teenagers with you, it’s probably worth paying extra.

5 I’ve got this problem…

The most cursory glance at the river boat SS Karnak’s passenger list should raise the alarm – Hercule Poirot is on board. Classic stuff from Dame Agatha.

Medical facilities have improved 20-fold since the days of Dirk Bogarde and Doctor at Sea. There is at least one doctor and a couple of nursing staff on board, with a well-stocked pharmacy. You’ll find hand-cleansing dispensers throughout the ship – no cruise wants the norovirus. If you think you might be seasick, don’t let that spoil the experience – there are a number 

T H E MOV I E

An Affair to Remember Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr enter a transatlantic crossing ‘funnel of love’. A blissful film romance and not an iceberg in sight to ruin their moment.

RHONE

S C OTT I S H H I G H L A N D S

Create your own tales of the riverbank on

Speed bonnie boat not just to Skye but

a European river cruise, an inland holiday with history at every turn and comfort throughout

around our entire coastline, all 11,000+ miles of it, seeing Britain from a totally new perspective

THE PREP Many cruise lines will allow you to inspect their ship on a day tour or to experience an overnight stay with meals without ever leaving port; the cost of the overnight stay is usually deducted if you go on to book a cruise.

2016

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

TAKE AWAY Travel

“

LOOK FOR CRUISES WITH LIKEM I N D E D T R AV E L L E R S O R A THEMED-INTEREST ITINER ARY

FAC T S A N D FIGURES THE WORLD OF CRUISE LINERS

$39.6 billion the value of the global cruise market

3 days, 10 hours and 40 minutes the time it took the last

(and current) holder of the Blue Riband, the SS United States, to cross the Atlantic from New York to the finishing line at Bishop Rock in 1952

1,188ft

the length of the world’s longest cruise ship, Harmony of the Seas

 of remedies, from pressure bands to

injections. Do ensure that your travel insurance covers you for both on-board and on-shore eventualities.

22,247,000 passengers on cruises

6 I won’t like the other passengers

worldwide in 2015

65,000

Look for cruises that will have like-minded travellers or a themed-interest itinerary. Research the age groups that use a particular line. If you don’t like the idea of kids running around, check if there’s a limit to the number of under-16s. Dining is far more relaxed these days, with round-theclock facilities so you don’t have to sit with the same people, meal-in, meal-out.

GETTY

7 I’ll never get my sea legs There’s been a boom in river cruising across Europe – the Danube, Douro, Rhine and Rhône, even into Russia on the Volga. The boats for river cruising are much smaller than ocean-going ships and stay moored overnight in or near a major town or city.

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

2016

nautical miles Saga Sapphire will have covered in 2016, as passengers eat their way through 26,000 cakes freshly baked on board and 81 tons of potatoes

FIND OUT MORE Download our FREE 18-page Guide to Cruising to answer all your questions. And find links to our top ten cruising experiences, plus a huge range of inspiring ideas, all at saga.co.uk/dec-mag

LOV E I T F I R ST T I M E O R YO U R MO N E Y B AC K ! Saga is so sure first-time guests will love life on board Saga Pearl II or Saga Sapphire that it is offering early flights home and a refund of the fare to anyone who does not enjoy the sailing. The offer applies to new bookings only. For details, visit saga.co.uk/ ocean-cruises or call 0800 505030

EVERY MOTHER WAITS TO HEAR HER BABY TAKE THEIR FIRST BREATH. FOR MANY, IT NEVER COMES... There is nothing like holding your baby for the very ﬁrst time. The joy you feel, the love. But too many expectant mothers look forward to this moment, and are met only with heartache and pain.

Worldwide, a newborn baby dies every 34 seconds because of illness or birth complications*. And so many of these deaths are needless. VSO provides vital resources and skilled volunteers to 24 countries around the world. A donation from you today could help provide a resuscitator, like the one that saved the life of baby Andrew, from Uganda. Andrew’s mother, Racheal, had already lost four babies and, when Andrew was born, tragedy almost struck again. The midwife quickly realised that Andrew was suﬀocating. Together, she and a VSO

You could help another mother take her healthy newborn home this Christmas.

volunteer doctor began using a baby resuscitator. After ten tense minutes, the newborn started breathing and as he was placed in her arms, Racheal had never felt so happy. You can bring that joy to another mother today. A Christmas gift of £25 from you could go towards a baby resuscitator – such a simple piece of kit that can save so many newborns’ lives.

£25

Please give what you can today.

GOES TOWARDS A BABY RESUSCITATOR

* 1 million babies died on their ﬁrst day of life in 2012, which equates to 1 baby every 34 seconds. Source: Ending Newborn Deaths report by Save the Children, 2014. Names have been changed to protect identities.

WILL YOU HELP A BABY TAKE THEIR FIRST BREATH THIS CHRISTMAS? Here is my Christmas gift of:

£25 to help a baby take their first breath

My own amount of £

Title First name Surname Address

Postcode

Email address

Phone number

Remember - we need your full name and address to make your donation 25% stronger through Gift Aid

Share your email address so we can send you regular updates from the hospital. Please make cheques/postal orders/CAF vouchers payable to VSO International Or debit my: MasterCard Visa Maestro CAF Charity Card Card no. Start date

Maestro only

Expiry date

Issue number

Name on card Signed

Your gift could be worth 25% more!

Date

Maestro only

I am a UK taxpayer and I want VSO to treat all qualifying donations over the last four years, today, and in the future, as Gift Aid donations, until I notify you otherwise. I understand that if I pay less Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax than the amount of Gift Aid claimed on all my donations in that tax year it is my responsibility to pay any difference. Gift Aid is reclaimed by VSO from the tax I pay for the current tax year. I am not a UK taxpayer.

We’d love to keep in touch to invite you to VSO events and let you know about our latest news and appeals. By giving your details you’re confirming that you’re happy for VSO to contact you using the email, address and phone number provided. We promise never to sell or swap your data with third parties, and you can opt-out at any time. If you’d prefer us not to contact you in this way, please tick here: No mail No phone No SMS No email Donations will be distributed across VSO’s work and used where they are needed most, helping us to fight poverty in over 24 countries where our volunteers work with local partners. VSO is a registered charity in England and Wales (313757) and Scotland (SCO39117). All photos ©VSO/Ginny Lattul.

Fill in the attached form and send to: Freepost RSYJ-HGEK-RGBX Voluntary Service Overseas, 126 Fairlie Road, Slough SL1 4PY. Alternatively, call 020 8780 7501 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm) or visit vsointernational.org/baby

PREXM1611SAA

Exclusive cruise offer for Saga Magazine subscribers Royal Caribbean’s ships are amazing destinations in themselves, packed with innovative leisure opportunities, award-winning entertainment and an array of dining options. Now you can experience them for yourself – either on a short cruise to the Continent, or a longer Mediterranean voyage with a hotel stay in Barcelona.

Only Saga includes all this... ■ A return VIP door-to-door chauffeur service to

Heathrow or Southampton, or free car parking ■ Optional travel insurance and additional

cancellation rights, or a reduction if not required§ ■ Flights, overseas transfers and a two-night

hotel stay in Barcelona with breakfasts on Italy, Greece & The Mediterranean ■ Up to $100 on-board credit per person ■ All port taxes, fees, charges

Our top tips for Barcelona 1. Visit La Sagrada Familia, one of the world’s most spectacular buildings 2. Explore another of Gaudi’s most elaborate creations, Park Güell 3. Admire groundbreaking art in the Picasso Museum 4. Browse La Boqueria, the spectacular market in La Rambla, Barcelona’s famous main street.

Plus standard Royal Caribbean® inclusions... ■ High quality cabin accommodation ■ Meals in the main restaurants, snacks and buffets ■ Superb on-board entertainment and leisure activities ■ Tea and coffee in selected venues ■ Room service (late night charges appy) ■ Porterage of luggage

S aga M

Italy, Greece and the Med aga zin

SAVE ubscribers ADDIT AN ION A L

£2 5

per pe

rson ‡ w hen yo u b o ok De cem by b e r 5, 2016

Flying from Heathrow ■ May 11, 2017 ■ 14 nights aboard Brilliance of the Seas®

SAVE up to £250 per person* when you book by December 31, 2016 Up to $100 on-board credit per person^

14 nights from £2,054 including optional travel insurance provided by Cigna Insurance Services (Europe) Limited, or a reduction of £35 if not required

This Mediterranean cruise really does have a bit of everything. Mingle with the jet-set in Cannes, appreciate the art of Florence and Rome, travel back in time at Athens and Ephesus, and enjoy the slower pace of island life in Santorni and Malta. Calling at… UK-Barcelona, Spain • Two-night stay at H10 Marina Barcelona (4Q) (Eurostars Cristal Palace on June 28, 2017 departure) • Cannes/Monte Carlo h, Monaco • La Spezia (for Florence/Pisa), Italy • Civitavecchia (for Rome), Italy • Athens, Greece • Kusadasi (for Ephesus), Turkey • Santorini h, Greece • Valletta, Malta • Barcelona-UK. Cruise code: RC116. Travel information: Fly from Heathrow to Barcelona, return, with the scheduled services of British Airways. Flight upgrades may be available for a supplement, please call for details. Domestic flights are available as part of Saga's VIP door-to-door travel service – please call for details.

Spain, France and Portugal Sailing from Southampton ■ May 26, 2017 ■ 7 nights aboard Navigator of the Seas®

SAVE up to £150 per person* when you book by December 31, 2016 Up to $100 on-board credit per person^

7 nights from £1,004 including optional travel insurance provided by Cigna Insurance Services (Europe) Limited, or a reduction of £28 if not required

Enjoy a springtime cruise south along the Atlantic coast, giving you the chance to visit two fascinating capitals and see the attractions of Spain's verdant Galician coast. Calling at… Southampton, England • Le Havre (for Paris), France • Lisbon, Portugal • Vigo, Spain • Southampton, England. Cruise code: RC119. Travel information: Domestic flights are available as part of Saga's VIP door-to-door travel service – please call for details.

For more details call FREE on 0800 302 9014 quoting DCSM4 §A reduction of £28 applies to Spain, France and Portugal and £35 to Italy, Greece and the Med if you do not need the optional travel insurance and additional cancellation rights – please call for details. Fares shown are per person for the lowest available inside twin stateroom including any relevant savings as described. Fares were correct at the time of going to print and are subject to availability and change. *Savings vary by cabin grade and cruise. The savings shown are the maximum available and apply when booking a Balcony stateroom or Suite. Single staterooms are twin staterooms made available for sole occupancy, a supplement will apply, please call for details. ‡Saga Magazine subscribers' offer: save a further £25 per person when you book on or before December 5, 2016. Prices shown include the discount. Offer is applicable to new bookings only and cannot be combined with any other offer. Cabins at the offer fares are limited and Saga reserves the right to extend, reduce or withdraw the offer at any time without notice. The Saga Magazine offers are only available to Saga Magazine subscribers and one travelling companion. Please call for further offer information and for details of cabin guides and deck plans. ^$50 on-board spend per person, $100 for Balcony staterooms, will be credited to your on-board account. Unused on-board spend is non-refundable. Please note: h Land by launch or tender. All excursions mentioned are optional, at an additional cost and are subject to availability and change. Some of the highlights detailed may only be seen on optional excursions or by exploring independently. Saga Holidays is a trading name of ST&H Ltd (registration no. 2174052). ST&H Ltd and Saga Cruises Ltd (registration no. 3267858) are subsidiaries of ST&H Group Ltd (registration no. 0720588). All three companies are registered in England and Wales. Registered Office: Enbrook Park, Sandgate, Folkestone, Kent CT20 3SE. With respect to general insurance products sold in the UK, ST&H Ltd is an appointed representative of Saga Services Limited, registered in England and Wales (company no. 732602), which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. For information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate visit www.atol.org.uk/ATOLCertificate. NHM-TC5115

A winter-sun break in

TENERIFE

Forget about brash resorts, boisterous nightlife and boozy Brits, the island of Tenerife has another relatively undiscovered side, says Susie Boulton o wonder Tenerife sees five million tourists a year. Largest of the Canary Islands, it basks in the sun all year round and bills itself as the Island of Eternal Spring. Most visitors make a beeline for the sun-baked south, drawn by the white-sand beaches and enticing warm waters. Few stray further, unaware even that there’s another Tenerife: one of surreal lunar landscapes, verdant mountains, historic towns and hidden hamlets. Rising out of the sparkling ocean is majestic Mount Teide, at 12,198ft the world’s thirdlargest volcano and the highest peak in Spain. A hike up takes six hours and plenty of stamina, while the cable car whisks you up in eight minutes. Take warm clothing – it may be hot on the beach but the peak is snowcapped for half the year. Special guided night visits take in

4 C O R N E R S , G E T T Y . S U S I E B O U L T O N I S C 0- A U T H O R O F T H E B E R L I T Z P O C K E T G U I D E T O T E N E R F I E

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

2016

Garachico, top, is a great base for hikers heading into the interior, above; papas arrugadas with red and green mojo sauces, right

glorious sunsets and stargazing sessions. Tenerife has some of the clearest night skies in the world. Hikers are spoilt for choice with trails through rugged mountains, deep valleys and rainforest – many undiscovered by tourists. A good walking base is Garachico, a gem of a village on the northwest coast, miles away from the razzmatazz of the south. The former harbour was destroyed by lava flows in 1706 but the area retains cobbled streets, colonial charm and refreshing rock pools carved from lava. Tenerife also boasts two fine historic towns: La Laguna, former capital and Unesco World Heritage Site and the lovely La Orotava with beautiful colonial mansions. The Canary Islands are fast becoming a foodie destination and, beyond ‘all-day-breakfast land’, there is plenty of genuine Canarian cuisine, often served in little tascas – tapas restaurants. Mojos, the red and green piquant sauces served with fish and meat, also go wonderfully well

TAKE AWAY Travel F I V E G R E AT

New Year’s Eve EXPERIENCES

S A MOA There’ll be nowhere ’appier than Apia, capital of Samoa, as the Polynesian islanders are among the first around the world to mark the arrival of 2017, soaking up the sun and the vaimeleni – a coconut, pineapple and watermelon concoction. samoa.travel

with papas arrugadas, the little salt-encrusted, wrinkled jacket potatoes. These scrumptious little spuds were awarded their own Certificate of Origin in 2012. The island offers great seafood and all manner of exotic Atlantic species – vieja (parrot fish), pompano (butterfish) and mero (dusky grouper). Tenerife is one of the world’s best spots for all-year pilot whale watching. Book a boat trip and watch these playful creatures – along with sociable bottlenose or Atlantic-spotted dolphins – race through the water. Or try snorkelling with turtles and deep-sea fishing. Tandem paragliding – floating over breathtaking landscapes – is a fabulous way to see the island. And age or lack of experience is no excuse!

FIND OUT MORE For lots of extra info on visiting Tenerife, including the best alternative tourist attractions, go to saga.co.uk/dec-mag

PA R I S A wining and dining cruise down the Seine is romantic at any time, but against a backdrop of illuminations and one of Europe’s greatest firework displays reflecting off the water, this is hard to beat. Bonne année! pariscityvision.com

M I A M I B E AC H Head for Florida’s east coast for the best beach party. Enjoy great firework displays from a private yacht or scrunch the sand under your toes and marvel at the music. If only the rest of 2017 could be as good! mianewyearseve.com

VIENNA You may think you’re in André Rieu world, as the Austrian capital enjoys frock-tacular concerts, balls and open-air waltzing to literally dance in the New Year. Follow the New Year’s Eve Trail for a memorable musical experience from Strauss to hip-hop. austria.info

EDINBURGH Hogmanay on home turf means ‘Auld Reekie’, with live concerts, street parties, a ceilidh, torchlight procession and the castle lit up by fireworks. And, if you’re brave, clear your head in the morning with a dip in the Firth of Forth. edinburghshogmanay.com

2016

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

TAKE AWAY Travel R E A D E R S’ M AG I C MOM E N T S

Feeling on top of the world This was taken at the peak of the Schafberg in St Wolfgang in Austria, some 5,850 feet high. Eighteen years previously, my husband Gordon and I had climbed to the top while on our honeymoon. It brought back many happy memories. This time, though, we took the train! Lesley Longworth, Stockport, Cheshire

LO O K AHEAD BOOK AHEAD

3 MO N T H S Keen gardeners looking for something out of the ordinary can combine a sunshine break with inspiration on a botanical tour of Cyprus. Eleouthkia Park has bonsai, succulent and tropical gardens; Cyherbia is famous for herbs.

Readers and experts share their travel knowledge READER K Hancock, West London In Belgium, the side streets off the main Bruges shopping thoroughfares offer some surprises. Off Noordzandstraat, down Ontvangerstraat, a golden angel looks over the city, perched atop the turreted Hotel Dukes’ Palace, right – a façade so Disneyesque you could imagine Prince and Cinderella Charming spending their honeymoon here. If you’d like a contemplative break away from the endless waffle and ice cream, frites and chocolate outlets, sipping coffee on the terrace of the hotel garden under the gaze of a giant red poodle (a statue), this is just the place.

EXPERT David Rowlands, Hertz UK General Manager When driving abroad it’s important to be aware of local motoring regulations to avoid incurring parking and traffic violation fines. In Italy, for example, you can be fined for driving into a Zone a Traffico Limitato (ZTL) in a historic city centre. Wherever you are, if you commit an offence, the authority will contact your hire-car company (as the owner of the vehicle), which will then recover the fine from you, plus an administration fee. If you get a parking ticket, pay it as soon as possible as this often reduces the fine.

 G E T I N V O L V E D Send your travel tips and (high-quality) photos of

magic moments to hols@saga.co.uk. We’ll pay £30 for each one we use

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

2016

6 MO N T H S The America’s Cup is the most prestigious international yacht race – and Bermuda is the host in 2017. What better place to enjoy the racing? Just sit back, rum punch in one hand, binoculars in the other.

12 MO N T H S As you peel the umpteenth sprout, why not turn that ‘Next year, it’s Christmas away from home’ dream into reality? Sunning yourself in the Canaries or going long haul Down Under, it will be a Christmas to remember for all the right reasons. For all trips, see saga.co.uk/travel

A L A M Y , G E T T Y , © A C E A 2015 / R I C A R D O P I N T O

TRIP TIPS

Close Encounters

Great Apes of Uganda - 12 days from ÂŁ3,699 Call FREE on 0800

988 5914

or visit

titantravel.co.uk

Terms and conditions apply on some offers. Calls free from BT landlines, mobiles may vary.

TAKE AWAY Advertising feature in the 1980s, today the vineyards are producing blissful reds, crisp whites and tantalising rosés, rejuvenating an industry that had almost become a memory. For an extraordinary experience, visit Quinta dos Vales, near the 12th-century village of Estombar, northeast of Portimão. Part sculpture park, part vineyard, the landscape is abuzz with art – from fabulous statuesque dancers to multipatterned bears and elephants. But don’t let that distract you from the estate’s primary function, producing awardwinning wines. Its Marques dos Vales brand has garnered 100 medals and awards in eight years, and is now exported throughout Europe, South America and Asia (quintadosvales.eu). Further down the coast at Alcantarilha, 20 miles from the resort of Albufeira,

A taste of the Algarve

Quinta João Clara

he Algarve region is perfect for couples and adventurous singles alike. The southern coastline is long established as a destination for beach lovers and sports enthusiasts – particularly windsurfers and golfers. It’s also a great place to take the grandchildren! From Sagres at the southwestern point of Portugal, heading east through Portimão, past Faro to Monte Gordo, fishing villages and sandy coves dot the rocky shoreline. But tear yourself away from the swish of a five-iron on a green overlooking the ocean, the roar of rolling Atlantic breakers – and the unrivalled seafood – and venture just a few miles inland and you’ll discover a side

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

2016

to this region that might otherwise escape you. Wine tourism is on the up in the Algarve and justifiably so. While Portuguese wine brings back memories of candles dripping wax down Mateus Rosé bottles in British wine bars

Head inland to discover villages, vineyards and award-winning wines just ten minutes’ drive from the beach

Saga offers a range of holidays in the Algarve from £249pp, all with optional vineyard excursions. For more details, please call 0800 092 1178 or visit travel.saga.co.uk 4 CORNERS, GETTY

Portugal offers more than great beach holidays – try a tour round this region’s fabulous vineyards

produces equally good wines. The clay soil is exceptionally good for grape-growing and the vineyard is especially proud of its white wine, in production for just three years. It’s made from four grape varieties new to the estate, plus the native Crato Branco ( joaoclara.com). Two very individual vineyards, both testament to the revival of Portuguese wine. Saúde!

GET ACTIVE GET INSPIRED GET OUT THERE Discover new horizons with Marie Curie

From scaling the Great Wall of China to hillwalking in the Himalayas, why not take on a once in a lifetime adventure for an amazing cause? Be part of a team and trek some of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most incredible destinations alongside fellow explorers.

To ďŹ nd out more visit mariecurie.org.uk/overseastreks17 0800 716 146 Registered charity, England and Wales (207994), Scotland (SC038731) B111a

Glamorous PJs W H Y I T WO R KS Play on the pyjamas all-day theme with this luxury daywear ensemble

Left:

Pyjama top £69 and trousers £69 PHOTOGRAPHS: DANIEL MARTIN. STYLING: RUTH COLLINS. MODEL FRANKIE PARK AT MRS ROBINSON. HAIR AND MAKE-UP: JULIANA SERGOT USING AVEDA AND CLINIQUE

Monsoon

Necklace from a selection loquetlondon.com

Earrings £12 Accessorize

Whether it’s low key or a major celebration, it’s fun to look special from early till late

Dressing up for

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

2016

TAKE AWAY Fashion Smartly relaxed

Plenty of presence

Touch of luxury

W H Y I T WO R KS Team this season’s glamorous ruffle shirt with casual ski pants and velvet heels

W H Y I T WO R KS Go big with earrings on the big day – the more attentionseeking the better

W H Y I T WO R KS Mix up textures and keep an element of festive with on-trend brocade in gold and emerald green cashmere

Left:

Top £25 and earrings £12.50 Marks & Spencer

Stirrup leggings £20 Dorothy Perkins

Clutch £32 Accessorize

Heels £195 LK Bennett

Right:

Cashmere jumper £139 boden.co.uk, 0330 333 0000

Brooch £12.50 Marks & Spencer

Brocade skirt £279 Baum und Pferdgarten Fenwick

Tights £6 Marks & Spencer Right:

Shoes £25

Polo neck £17.50

jdwilliams.co.uk, 0871 231 2000

Marks & Spencer

Brocade trousers £130 Whistles Earrings £129 Marion Vidal Fenwick

Shoes £165 Russell & Bromley

2016

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

TAKE AWAY Fashion

Accessories

The smart money is on these gifts for the well-dressed men in your life 1 Shaken and Stirred houndstooth socks £14 londonsockcompany.com 2 Checked wool-rich tie 12.50 Marks & Spencer 3 Viski Belmont 24-carat gold-plated corkscrew £19 ocado.com 4 Alice Made This Jasper cufflinks in brass £95 alicemadethis.com 5 Cog Flare mechanical pencil by Tom Dixon £55 tomdixon.net, 020 7400 0500 6 Anderson’s leather belt £85 mrporter.com, 0800 044 5705 7 Wool check scarf £55 whistles.com, 020 7400 0500 8 J.Crew leather cardholder £65 mrporter.com, 0800 044 5705

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

2016

PHOTOGRAPH: CHARLIE SURBEY

THE CL ASSICS

HALF PRICE

LUXURIOUS NATURAL

SHEEPSKIN

LADIES BOOT

FOOT WARMER NOW JUST

£39.95

LADIES MOCCASIN

LADIES MULE From the home of country clothing, our Sheepskin footwear collection combines traditional designs with the unmatched snugness and warmth of 100% natural sheepskin. As well as being irresistibly soft, with a luxurious cosy feel, pure wool has many benefits: hypoallergenic, breathable, light-weight, odour resistant and easy to care for. Slippers and mules have durable rubber soles. Now at unrepeatable prices. These are ideal for keeping warm whilst watching television on cold winter nights as well as making perfect Christmas presents. The Sheepskin collection is taken from our Autumn / inter range. Please call 0345 136 0111 to request a complimentary copy of our

HURRY LIMITED STOCK - OFFER ENDS 16 DECEMBER 2016

ORDER ONLINE: WWW.HOUSEOFBRUAR.COM/SHEEP

QUOTE ‘SAGA2’ AT CHECKOUT FOR HALF PRICE OFFERS OR CALL: 0345 136 0111

MEN’S MULE

Send to: Freepost, HOUSE OF BRUAR (No further address required - UK only)

CODE

ITEM

SIZE

TV88814

FOOT WARMER

One Size

QUANTITY

PRICE

TOTAL

Was £79.95 Now £39.95

TA88880

LADIES MULE

Was £49.95 Now £24.95

TA88889

LADIES MOCCASIN

Was £59.95 Now £29.95

TA88890

LADIES BOOT

Was £79.95 Now £39.95

TA88891

MENS MULE

Was £49.95 Now £24.95

Ladies sizes: 4 - 8 Mens sizes: 8 - 12 Please make cheques payable to The House of Bruar Ltd or provide card details below.

Valid from M

Issue number (Maestro only)

Valid to Y

UK P & P

£4.95

Total

Security digits

Name Address Postcode Telephone / Mobile E-mail The House of Bruar Ltd. (or via agents) may mail or email offers reflecting your preferences. Please tick if you DO NOT want to receive : mail from us email from us offers from carefully selected third parties

Beauty TAKE AWAY Glimmer & glitter

It’s the season to dazzle, so add shimmer to eyes, cheekbones, nails – even hair, says Vicci Bentley. Are you all set to sparkle?

Worn solo or over regular polish, sparkly shades add a diamond glint PUR Perfect 10 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Makeup

Only the compact sparkles. The powder conceals, brightens and keeps skin matt, not shiny. £30 M&S

Putting on

Kure Bazaar Nail Polish in Pigalle £15 Fortnum &

THE GLITZ

very year we ask ourselves – should we really be doing glitter at our age? But, yet again, spangles are having a festive moment and it does seem a shame not to dabble. After all, a bit of glitz transforms everyday make-up into evening glamour, instantly. ‘Think of shimmer as a piece of jewellery that boosts a simple outfit. Lovely to layer over more matt textures,’ suggests make-up artist Ruby Hammer. Forget the ‘shimmer shows up wrinkles’ warning: ‘a little goes a very long way’ is your mantra now. Just a fingerprint of highshine mid lids can wake up tired eyes and even optically smooth crepey skin. Spangly polish can liven up hands. As a rule, it’s best to keep skin matt, not shiny if you’re sparkling elsewhere. Yet used strategically – on hair or cheekbones, perhaps – gold-lit mists and powders give a fresh, dewy glow. Now let’s party!

GETTY

Mason or lovelula.com

Guerlain Soufflé d’Or Shalimar Hair and Body Powder

A puff of this vanillascented gold dust highlights hair, shoulders and décolletage. £59 Debenhams

Bobbi Brown Wine Eye Palette

Orly Nail Varnish in Tiara £10.50

Beige, bronze and chocolate shadows go from matt to pearl to soft sequins. Intense pigment. Powders line and define. The season’s best party palette. £42.50 John Lewis

graftonsbeauty.co.uk

Vincent Longo Pearl X Eyeshadow in Etherea

Models Own Glittergel in Sheer

Bronze and gold merge to give a rose-gold highlight. £19 cultbeauty.co.uk, 0800 108 8822

Sparkle Glitter

£4.99 Superdrug 2016

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

TAKE AWAY Beauty For the guys... Moisture-rich grooming’s the best strategy for holding hair in place. Here’s how to phase out the frizz

3 of the

15-minute facial

best

Vicci Bentley picks the best new power masks to soothe and smooth skin ant to wake up a tired, dull complexion – smartish? Face masks are the bathroom beauty treatment of the moment – the pre-party pick-me-ups that plump and smooth in a cool 15 minutes. But forget the scary old mud packs that cracked, itched and crumbled, leaving you red-faced and sore. The new masks are all about delivering a shot of moisture that leaves skin refreshed and ready to glow. Top of the list come the sheet masks – a tad Hannibal Lecterish with their cut-out eye, mouth and nose holes, but an easy,

no-gloop way of hydrating skin. Or when you don’t even have 15 minutes to spare, a sleep mask that doubles as a night cream will give you a head start next morning. But what about deep-cleansing packs, I hear you ask. Get creative with multi-masking. Use a clay-based mask on your T-zone to de-clog pores and absorb shine, and a firming, hydrating formula on cheeks and chin that need it most. Rest a couple of eye pads on your lids to de-puff and tighten bags, then lie back and enjoy 15 minutes’ respite from the rush. You know you’ll look better for it.

Bumble & Bumble Sumowax

Traditional hard wax that’s strong, but still flexible. A blob rubbed onto palms then smoothed onto hair tames short styles.

£23

bumbleandbumble. co.uk

Philip Kingsley Preen Cream

This lightweight, leave-in cream grooms and leaves a natural-looking gloss. Great for fine hair.

£19

philipkingsley.co.uk

White clays unclog, while aloe vera and thermal water soothe. A great anti-shine treatment. £14 Boots

Gold Collagen Hydrogel Mask Green tea soothes, algae firm, hyaluronic acid moisturises and pearl extracts give skin a glow. £19.99 for 4 Boots

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

2016

BioEffect EGF Eye Mask Treatment Cooling, de-puffing gel patches soothe, de-wrinkle and hydrate. £75 for 6 pairs bioeffect.co.uk

The Body Shop British Rose Fresh Plumping Mask

Rose petals, rose extract and rosehip oil leave skin plump and dewy soft.

£15

The Body Shop

SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Masque

Cucumber cool gel calms redness and flushes.

£55

skinceuticals.co.uk, 0800 028 0390

Wella SP Men Invisible Control

Micro-fine spray with a matt finish and a strong but subtle hold. To tame wispy bits, spray on brush then work through. £12.75 Wella Salons nationwide

GETTY

Vichy Pore Purifying Mineral Mask

ÂŽ w o r ld s yst the Opti-m g n i e ter se se a f ie Ro g n r e a ct A ill you w How

tric flame-effect fire most realistic elec

An Opti-mystÂŽ electric fire always gets a jaw-dropping reaction due to its realistic flame effect, available at the flick of a switch. Install in minutes*, then enjoy instant heat or go with the heat-free flame-only setting. For your nearest retailer call 0800 022 4499 or visit dimplex.co.uk/noway

Office hours: Monday to Thursday, 8.30am to 5pm and Friday, 8.30am to 4pm. *Most models.

Nature’s joint support just got much better... NEW Supports healthy joints* 185x better absorbed 7x faster-acting Our unique liquid formulation is 185 times better-absorbed and 7 times faster-acting than standard turmeric powder. Vitamin C has also been added to support cartilage formation and immune health.

£15.95 30 days supply (60 capsules) EXCLUSIVE OFFER

£2

off

when you spend £15 or more on any products from our range of over 150 quote code:

SM-ZDE

Nutrition for a healthy lifespan

freephone 0800 73 123 77

healthspan.co.uk

FREE UK delivery

*Pending EC Claim ID4012 “helps maintain the health of joints and bones.” All product prices shown include VAT. At Healthspan our customer charter provides a no-quibble refund on products and guarantees that your personal data will not be passed on to third parties. Free UK delivery now provided by Healthspan. For full Terms and Conditions see www.healthspan.co.uk. Prices and voucher valid until 31.01.17. Single use only and not to be used in conjunction with any other offer. £2 off orders over £15. Healthspan Ltd, PO Box 64, Guernsey, GY1 3BT.

Dial down your

BLOOD PRESSURE High levels can increase your risk of heart disease, stroke and dementia, so here’s Patsy Westcott’s advice on how to keep things in check over the festive season

surfeit of alcohol, parties and family rows can send blood pressure soaring at this time of year, especially for the one in three of us with hypertension – aka high blood pressure (BP). ‘A chilly wind that causes blood vessels to constrict can also boost BP,’ adds Professor Gareth Beevers of the charity Blood Pressure UK. Then

GETTY

there’s all that rich food – Christmas dinner alone can contain 15g of salt, nearly three times the maximum recommended daily amount. The good news is, alongside tried-andtested methods, such as exercise, losing weight and quitting smoking, there are lots of innovative and simple ways to lower BP in the  short and long term.

2016

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

NEED TO KNOW WHY IS HIGH B LO O D P R E S S U R E DA N G E R O U S ? Excessive BP (usually defined as 140/90mmHg or more) can damage the cells of the arteries’ inner lining, thickening and stiffening the arteries, and forcing your heart to work harder. This creates a host of potential problems, including stroke, kidney failure, dangerous heart rhythms, angina, heart attacks, heart failure, disease of the peripheral arteries serving the limbs and erectile dysfunction. Recent research from the George Institute for Global Health in Sydney found that people aged 30-50 with high BP had a 26% greater risk of developing vascular dementia (caused by reduced blood supply to the brain) between the ages of 51 and 70.

ALAMY, GETTY

H OW D O YO U K N OW I F YO U ’ V E G OT I T ? Hypertension is a silent syndrome. You can’t tell you have it (except perhaps at a late stage when some people experience headaches or dizziness). High BP is undiagnosed in an estimated seven million Brits. As well as having it checked regularly by a medical professional, experts advise getting into the habit of keeping an eye on your BP yourself. Visit reputable online sites or your chemist to buy an affordable upper-arm cuff home monitor (look for one that’s approved by the British Hypertension Society, bhsoc.org).

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

2016

New ideas Developments to discuss with your GP and proven tips to try at home

GET INTENSIVE Common anti-hypertensive medications, such as ACE inhibitors and angiotensin-II receptor blockers, can have side effects such as headaches and dizziness, so many people stop taking them. But last year’s SPRINT (the US-government-led Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial) revealed that not only is it vital to persevere with drug therapy, but

Health TAKE AWAY

B R E W U P A C U P PA A Chinese study of 6,589 men and women aged 40-75, published recently in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, found that regular tea drinking helped to protect arteries against stiffness, a key factor in high BP. Plant chemicals, known as flavonoids, in tea are believed to improve arteries’ elasticity. Oolong or black tea without milk or sugar offered the most protection.

B LO O D P R E S S U R E

can’t be controlled with medication), the Barostim Neo™ – slightly larger than a £2 coin – is placed beneath the collar bone with a connecting wire implanted outside the carotid artery. It electrically activates the body’s own natural blood-pressureregulating mechanisms. NIBBLE A CUBE OF CHEESE A recent Italian study found that a daily 30g (1oz) serving of Grana Padano, a hard, full-fat aged cheese a bit like Parmesan, lowered mild-to-moderate high BP. The secret is thought to lie in small molecules (peptides) produced by fermentation that act like the BP-lowering drugs ACE inhibitors.

Instant fixes

1 FIND OUT MO R E For more on monitoring your blood pressure and up-andcoming medical breakthroughs, visit saga.co.uk/ dec-mag

Case study

G O L AT I N O A Brazilian study of high-bloodpressure sufferers, with an average age of 62, found that attending a dance class three times a week for three months led to a marked decline in BP. Dances included bolero, samba, merengue, rock’n’roll, salsa and the Brazilian dance forro, but any dance that includes bouts of fast and slow activity should do the same trick. By pushing up the heart rate then letting it recover for a short time, the activity improves the condition of the lining of your arteries. BESPOKE CONTROL A groundbreaking implant that can be tailored to the needs of individuals is available in more and more NHS hospitals. Designed for the estimated one in 25 people with resistant hypertension (a severe form of high blood pressure that

LISTEN TO SOME MOZART OR STRAUSS

Mozart lowered the systolic (upper) BP reading by 4.7mmHg in a German study, while Strauss reduced the diastolic (lower) reading by 2.9mmHg.

A SIGH OF RELIEF

SMILE

TURN UP THE THERMOSTAT

Rhythmic sighing, once every 50 seconds between normal breaths, helps lower BP, according to a 2015 US study.

J U L I E S L AC K , 53, W H O L I V E S I N H AY F I E L D, D E R BYS H I R E ‘My father-in-law died from a stroke in 2014 and it became a tough year for my family. My blood pressure rose to 210/125 and I ended up in hospital for two nights. I now take drugs to help to control it, but cycling has also been a lifesaver. It has an almost immediate

BP-lowering effect and I now try to cycle most days. ‘Stress definitely aggravates my BP, so I keep things simple at Christmas. I watch that I don’t drink too much, don’t overdo it, have plenty of rest and get help with all the preparation and cooking.’

A University of Kansas study found that even a fake smile reduces heart rate in tense situations. Time to switch on the Christmas comedies.

If the weather outside is frightful, throw an extra log on the fire and put another jumper on. Heat widens the blood vessels.

SQUEEZE A STRESS BALL

Try it for ten seconds, then release. It’s thought this activity moderates the chemoreceptor reflex, a part of the nervous system that regulates BP.

2016

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

WITH THANKS TO DR WENDY DENNING, GP

new, more intensive programmes are particularly effective. The study compared an aggresive treatment regime that involved using as many drugs as necessary to drive systolic (upper reading) BP down to 120mmHg with a looser regime to reach the more usual 140mmHg. Rates of heart attack, heart failure and stroke fell by a third.

TAKE AWAY Health

Why does my husband always cough for an hour or so after he has eaten?

Struggling to get through to your surgery? Fed up with being left on hold? You should now be able to book your appointments and order repeat prescriptions online. It makes life easier for everyone. Every surgery in England should now be online (the rest of the UK is fast following suit) but their services are being accessed by only a minority of patients – just one in four at my practice. Contacting the surgery can be difficult – our phones ring constantly – and as a patient I relish the opportunity to bypass the receptionist and book online. Indeed, that is exactly what I did when I saw my own GP recently. Ordering repeat prescriptions online couldn’t be easier. Systems vary, but doing it through the practice website is a lot simpler than ordering in person or by post (telephone

FYI

requests are discouraged because of the risk of errors). Not everyone has access to a computer, but most do these days and I suspect poor uptake is down to a lack of awareness rather than a lack of desire. To register, all you have to do is go to your surgery with photo ID. You will be given a user name and password and advised about which services the practice offers. So please give it a go.

FIND OUT MORE Discover how to get the best from your GP by visiting

saga.co.uk/mag-visitgp

H E A R T TO H E A R T

Worried about your risk of heart attack? Calculate it with the JBS3 Heart Risk App, 79p, and see how lowering your blood pressure or taking a statin might help. Or visit jbs3risk.com and do it online. Doctors have been using this riskcalculation method for a while with patients – now you can try it for yourself. 78

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

2016

My sister has glaucoma and was told that her family members should have their eyes checked too. Can I be tested for it by a high-street optician?

Yes, you can. Glaucoma is a condition where pressure in the fluid within the eye increases, damaging the delicate retina. If it goes unnoticed it will cause irreversible loss of vision. Close relatives of someone with glaucoma should be screened regularly from the age of 35 (tests are free in the UK for relatives over 40). Find out more at iga.org.uk, 01233 648170. 

H AV E A Q U E S T I O N ? Email drmark@saga.co.uk or write to Dr Mark Porter at the address on p3. He can’t reply individually but will respond to queries on this page

ILLUSTRATION: ANNE HIGGLE

S TAY W E L L W I T H D R M A R K P O R T E R

It could be due to acid fumes rising up from the stomach, a condition known as acid reflux cough. The coughing occurs after eating, on rising in the morning, when talking on the phone or laughing. It’s caused by a weakening of the valve at the top of the stomach and is common in middle age. Strong anti-acid drugs (such as omeprazole and lansoprazole) normally help, but can take a couple of weeks before things start to improve. Medication for high blood pressure, such as ramipril and related drugs (all ending in -pril), can aggravate acid reflux coughing by intensifying the cough reflex. Either way, one to discuss with the GP.

piece of mind

Neurozan® is a comprehensive supplement with over 25 nutrients and amino acids to support your daily intake. Including pantothenic acid which contributes to normal mental performance. Also available is Neurozan® Plus, which includes the original tablet, plus an Omega-3 capsule containing DHA which contributes to normal brain function†.

Original

Plus Omega-3

Britain’s No.1 Vitamin Company* ADNEUCONP 08-08-16E

*Nielsen GB ScanTrack Total Coverage Value Sales 52 w/e 18th June 2016. From , Holland & Barrett, Tesco, Waitrose, independent pharmacies & health stores, www.neurozan.com †

A beneficial effect is obtained with a daily intake of 250mg DHA.

The ONLY vitamin company to receive The Queen’s Award For Innovation

TAKE AWAY Relationships

Christmas is one of those times when everyone else seems to be going out to parties and having fun and I’m on my own. I’ve been divorced for three years, am 59, own a cat, and work part-time. I’d love to go out more but it’s really hard without being one of a couple. I hate the idea but… internet dating – yes or no? Kirstie



H AV E A Q U E ST I O N ? Email jo@saga.co.uk or write to Jo Brand at the address on p3. She can’t reply to individuals but will choose problems to respond to on this page

Dear Kirstie, First of all, I should say (and I know you know this really!) that Christmas is one of those times of year, like Valentine’s Day, when people without a partner are made to feel like the proverbial leprous spare part. It has to be said that most of this is down to a mixture of social prejudice, fantasy and a distinct lack of reality-checking. The truth is that the pressure to partake of seasonal togetherness is all too much for some families and the festive holiday is spent arguing, sulking and throwing mince pies at each other. Why on earth this coercive partnering is so important in our society I do not know because, for all the lonely individuals staring mournfully out of the

N O W, I K N O W Y O U L O V E YO U R DAU G HTE R , B U T YO U A R E G O I N G TO H AV E T O B E F I R M 80

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

2016

window at Christmas, you can be sure that lots of members of families are desperately longing for a bit of peace and quiet on their own. Having said that… welcome to the 21st century! Of course, internet dating! It’s definitely the answer. Remember the bad old days when the only option was to go to an evening class and fight for the attention of the only half-decent-looking man under 70, along with five other gimlet-eyed, determined spinsters of the parish. Internet dating does not carry the stigma it used to, so the world is your oyster. I wish you luck, hope you find your prince and look forward to hearing from you in ten years’ time, mid-mince-pie fling, ’cause the bugger’s driving you nuts on Christmas Day.

My daughter is now in her forties and is becoming increasingly bossy and intolerant of me – from pushing me to downsize to criticising me for not being vegetarian, as she is. I am not a doddery old lady – I’m 69 – and want her to back

off. But on the other hand, I don’t want to row with her as I love her dearly. Molly

Poor you, Molly! I think you are suffering from a problem many women ‘our age’ have, because you have arrived in that age bracket that the rest of the population perceives as ‘old, ancient, incapable, in our dotage’, etc and therefore they feel entitled to start telling us how to live our lives. Now, I know you love your daughter, but if you want to maintain equal status with her you are going to have to be firm at the very least. You need to talk to her, playing good cop and bad cop at the same time. Something like, ‘I love you very much dear, but I am not prepared just yet for you to become my carer. I have all my faculties and am determined to continue to live an independent life. Oh dear, pardon you! Must be all those nut roasts.’ I am being slightly childish here, but if you mix humour, love and assertiveness you should be OK. If your daughter takes it badly, leave her to cool down. Stand fast and don’t feel guilty. The (gentle, nice) fight back has begun!

F I N D O U T MO R E For more on internet dating and family woes, visit saga.co.uk/ mag-relationships

ILLUSTRATION: ANNE HIGGLE

J O B R A N D CO N S I D E RS YO U R D I L E M M AS

TAKE AWAY Relationships

SEXY

stocking FILLERS

Want a gift that will do more than put a smile on someone’s face? Here are Suzi Godson’s ideas for the love of your life

innamon? Cloves? Ginger? This Christmas why not try spicing up your love life too? One way of ringing the changes this year is to put some sexy things under the tree. Most of us have given or received underwear in our time, but how about going a little further? If you’ve always been a bit nervous about giving a ‘sex toy,’ think again. Contemporary toys are technologically sophisticated, exquisitely designed and beautifully packaged– think NASA meets Jo Malone. They can make gorgeous Christmas presents and give your love life a boost at the same time! If you are not sure how your other half will react, start small: never give anything to a loved one unless you’re certain they will take it in the spirit it was meant. Try romantic accessories such as the Lelo

Flickering Touch Massage Candle £24.90 or Coco de Mer’s Roseravished Massage Candle £35, both from Lovehoney. These are made from natural oils and come in a range of exotic scents. When the flame is lit, the wax melts to become a pool of

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

2016

gloriously warm massage oil. Luxury lubricants can make fantastic stocking fillers too. A little extra slip and slide makes sex so much more fun and, for women of a certain age, can alleviate anxieties about any decreased levels of natural lubrication. Water-based products are better to use with condoms, but tend to dry up more quickly than silicone-based. Überlube £9.99 is the champagne of silicone lubricants – so good at reducing friction that it is used by athletes. It comes in a sophisticated glass bottle and looks more like a cologne than a lube. A vibrator is the most common toy that springs to mind in any discussion about sex toys. But since you want to elevate arousal, not blood pressure, it’s not something to give as a surprise – and don’t do it if you think your partner will feel threatened. Shopping together online is the best way to buy. Check out some of the sites mentioned – for women look at Tenga’s Iroha Sakura £59.99 and for men check out the Tenga egg. Buy singly £9.99 or in arty half-dozen egg boxes £44.99. Men can be a bit reticent about the idea of sex toys for women, perhaps worrying that they themselves might be made redundant! But once online you’ll find good ideas for gizmos made for couples, worn during sex to add a bit of extra fizz for both partners. Check out the We-Vibe 4 Plus £127.99 from Lovehoney. All of this takes getting used to, but that’s half the fun; and bound to provide more festive cheer than lavender soap on a rope! 

G E T I N VO LV E D Email sex@saga.co.uk with topics you’d like covered, or write to Suzi at the address on p3. Sadly, she cannot answer individual questions

SUZI GODSON IS THE AUTHOR OF THE SEX BOOK AND SEX COUNSEL, AND IS THE TIMES’ SEX COLUMNIST . ILLUSTRATION BY STEPHEN COLLINS

WHERE TO B U Y lovehoney.co.uk, 0333 103 6969 tenga.co.uk uberlube.co.uk

The ultimate Christmas leftovers

SANDWICH Debora Robertson has come up with some delicious ways to give the traditional turkey sandwich a special twist

Veggie tip USE LEFTOVER ROAST VEG INSTEAD OF TURKEY

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

2016

TAKE AWAY Food Festive snacks

5 N E W WAYS WITH TURKEY Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without the leftovers sandwich. Turkey, lettuce, mayo are fine. But why not follow our lead and make this year’s your best ever?

Crowd pleaser

PULLED TURKEY A N D S L AW Finely chop green apple, red onion and red cabbage into thin batons and dress lightly with mayonnaise and Dijon mustard to make an easy slaw. Shred leftover turkey and warm it through in just enough gravy to moisten, then heap it onto brioche buns with some spoonfuls of slaw – add a slice of crisply cooked bacon too, if you like.

GETTY, ALAMY

More of a meal

TURKEY REUBEN Fill slices of light rye bread or pumpernickel with turkey, bought sauerkraut and slices of Emmental or Gruyère cheese, then trickle on some Russian dressing (blend 4 tbsp mayonnaise with 1 tbsp ketchup, 1 tsp horseradish sauce, a few generous splashes of Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce, and a pinch of paprika). Lightly toast in a frying pan until the bread is crisp and the cheese melted. Serve with pickles and possibly crisps on the side, deli style. After so much rich food, the sharpness of the sauerkraut and pickles is delicious.

On the outside Ring the changes with different kinds of bread

Pick-me-up

TURKEY BANH MI Fill a small, white baguette with sliced turkey, coriander, mint, shredded carrot, spring onion, cucumber and mayo, and trickle on some hot sauce, such as Sriracha. The heat, crunch and freshness is a real shot in the arm on Boxing Day.

ESSENTIAL S A N DW I C H SHOPPING LIST

Salad leaves to add vitality. Herbs for freshness and herb butters. Cornichons add crunch and sourness on the side, or chopped into mayo or crème fraîche. Mayonnaise, as it is or customised with mustard, lemon juice and zest, horseradish, herbs, curry powder or other spices. Mustard all types. A jar of horseradish for instant zip. Chutney, pickles and cranberry sauce for essential tang.

Comfort food

Healthy snack

T U R K E Y, WAT E R C R E S S A N D WA L N U T Stir some lightly toasted, roughly chopped walnuts into watercress butter (whizz 30g/1oz watercress leaves with 100g/4oz softened butter, a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon in a food processor until combined – use cream cheese instead of butter if you prefer). Spread slices of sourdough with the watercress butter and layer with shredded turkey, slices of crisp green apple and pitted Medjool dates.

Sourdough bread has a delicious tang and great texture, which helps to transform a simple sandwich into a meal.

TOASTE D TU RK E Y WITH CHEE SE Butter some good, white bread slices on both sides, then layer on shredded turkey, smoked Gouda or other good melting cheese, with cranberry sauce, chutney or very sharp marmalade, and crisply cooked smoked bacon. Fry until golden on both sides and the cheese is melted. Rich and good.

Tabasco, Sriracha and other hot sauces for a peppery wake-up call.

Ketchup and brown sauce, of course!

Brioche-style loaf

Rye bread is perfect

Fluffy white bread

has a sweetish tender crumb. It makes a great toasted sandwich, with turkey, cranberry sauce and a slice of Brie, fontina or other melting cheese.

for Scandinavian-style open sandwiches. Pile up the turkey with cornichons and a dollop of sour cream, seasoned with dill and sharp mustard.

is just what you want for a lazy breakfast sandwich or late-night snack of shredded turkey, crisply fried bacon and ketchup or brown sauce.

2016

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

IS IT TIME TO GET THE LIFESTYLE YOU'VE ALWAYS DREAMED OF ?

Retired or downsizing? Considering a modest bungalow? How about your own luxury lodge in a choice of 8 private gated estates in beautiful English countryside?

Call our helpful Owner Team for more information:

01279 888 315 TheDreamLodgeGroup.co.uk

Ownership opportunities from as little as £100,000, and you pay no stamp duty and no legal fees. Property Part Exchange and Equity Release to unlock your cash. 1966

50 YEARS 2016

BERKSHIRE • CAMBRIDGESHIRE • CORNWALL • DEVON • EAST SUSSEX • ESSEX • NORFOLK • SUFFOLK

TAKE AWAY Food WINTER WO N D E R L A N D This year we’re keeping the cake simple, with snow drifts of royal icing and these little trees. Miniature trees

£16 for 13

notonthehigh street.com

WORDS DIANA HENRY. PHOTOGRAPHY JACQUI HURST, LISOVSKAYA NATALIA/THE PICTURE PANTRY, GETTY

STA N D - O U T WINNER A Christmas cake needs a plate to show it off. These ceramic stands come in three sizes. Handmade cake stand From £44 lindabloomfield.co.uk, 020 8743 7258

December means ...

We love...

G I F T S T H AT K E E P ON GIVING Treat a friend to two jars of gorgeous jam every month, made by Jamsmith. Wild damson and gin; bramble, plum and rosemary – some of the best flavour combinations we’ve come across. Jamsmith £30 for 3 months jamsmith.co.uk

J E W E L- L I K E P OM E G R A N AT E S Christmas baubles: pile up a pyramid of pomegranates in a shallow bowl for display. Sprinkle the seeds on pavlovas and trifles, and use them in salads and vegetable dishes. They’re lovely with smoked duck and bitter leaves, grain salads or on top of griddled aubergines with yogurt and coriander. To dislodge the seeds, hold a halved fruit over a bowl and whack with a wooden spoon. They should just tumble out.

3 of the best

H U N G RY F O R MO R E ?

Second helpings of recipe ideas at saga.co.uk/mag-food

River Cottage A-Z Took ten RC experts nearly three years to write. A book for a lifetime.

food52.com Take a look at this US website: thousands of recipes and ideas from cooks across the Pond. 2016

@cocoinmykitchen Welsh cook, part-time caterer and Instagrammer. You will get kitchen envy.

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

TRANSFORM YOUR EXISTING STAIRCASE IN JUST 48 HOURS NO MESS • NO FUSS • NO BUILDING WORK

Transforming your staircase into an exquisite handcrafted feature is a lot easier than you’d imagine. As specialists in home interiors for 30 years, Neville Johnson can renovate every part of your staircase, even replacing your stair carpet with hardwearing oak treads. In 1-2 days, with no structural building work and minimal re-decoration, we will create a stunning, handcrafted staircase that will add value to your home. All in a style to suit you, your home and your budget.

NO STAIRCASE TOO L ARGE OR SMALL Whether you prefer traditional timber, glass or contemporary steel, we have a wide range to choose from. Whatever size or style you choose, you can be confident you will receive our utmost attention and with our flexible finance options you can also spread the cost.*

British Design & Craftsmanship Nationwide Service No Structural Work FREE Design Service 10 Year Guarantee Full Project Management

visit nevillejohnson.co.uk OR CALL 0161 873 8333

24 MONTHS INTEREST FREE CREDIT *

FOR OUR LATEST BROCHURE QUOTE CODE Y-SAGA12

*24 months interest free credit is available on orders over £2,000 +VAT, with an upfront 30% deposit. Finance is subject to status.

Drink TAKE AWAY

Festive

FIZZ

It’s the party season, but which bubbly should you serve? Champagne is always pricey, so Jonathan Goodall picks some alternatives guaranteed to bring a sparkle to your gathering

S TA R BUY

Vintage pink

Impress guests

Elegant choice

Fizzy red

Party prosecco

Marques de Portola Cava Rosado 2014

Champagne Pierre Darcys Brut Rosé

Crémant du Jura Chardonnay 2013

Jacob’s Creek Sparkling Shiraz

Adeletto Prosecco

£8.25 Asda

£29.50 Asda

£7.49 Aldi Award-winning fizz from eastern France that tastes more expensive than it rightfully should. With crisp green apples, fresh orange-y citrus and beautifully balanced acidity, it has elegance and complexity (12%).

£10.45 Sainsbury’s,

£9.35 Co-op Fresh and delicate, water-white prosecco with crisp apple, pear and citrus flavours. Fruity, fun and frothy. Add peach purée for a Bellini or a dash of Aperol for a dry, fruity apéritif (11%).

DAVE LIDWELL

Cava is made by the traditional Champagne method, and vintage cava, such as this, is made only in the best years. A dry, zesty Spanish sparkler with tart strawberry and sour cherry flavours (12%). G R E AT W I T H

kedgeree or a retro prawn cocktail.

Celebrate in style with this elegant rosé Champagne with trademark toasty aromas. Its salmonpink hue comes from Pinot Noir grapes. Full-bodied with redfruit flavours (12%). G R E AT W I T H

turkey, seared scallops, crab, lobster or blinis with caviar.

G R E AT W I T H

canapés and conversation.

Ocado, Waitrose Shiraz with pizzazz. Soft and smooth with bold blackberry and raspberry aromas. Serve chilled for a red sparkling apéritif that makes rosé look passé (12.5%). G R E AT W I T H

turkey, sausage rolls, Boxing Day leftovers or rich chocolate puddings. 2016

G R E AT W I T H

canapés, grilled fish, white meats, chicken salad. S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

Great gifts for

GARDENERS

1 Large lemon tree A lovely fruitbearing plant. £42 plants4presents. co.uk, 01825 721162

2 Bird bulb marker Keep track of what’s planted where. Metal, in sky and green.

£4.99 crocus.co.uk, 01344 578111

Dreaming of a green Christmas? Most keen gardeners would appreciate something inspirational under the tree 90

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

2016

TAKE AWAY Gardening 3 Hunter Field Gardener Boots With protective dig pad on sole. £60 hunterboots.com, 0330 333 4290

4 Wild and Wolf Plant Pot Large size. £26.95 01225 789909 for stockists; amazon.co.uk

5 ST1300E Power Line Trimmer EDITOR PICK

Cordless, lithiumbattery powered.

’S

£119.99 egopowerplus.co.uk

6 The Professional With long-reach neck. £59.99 haws.co.uk, 0121 420 2494

7 Japanese Golden Spade Check out the sharp-edged head. £34 niwaki.com, 01747 445059

8 Botanicum Gloriously illustrated plant guide. £20 bigpicturepress.net for stockists

9 Gardeners’ alpaca socks Sales in aid of Horatio’s Garden charity. £18 horatiosgarden.org.uk

10 Personalised correspondence Choose your image and message. DAVE LIDWELL

£20 for 10 cards fraserandparsley.com S AG A G A R D E N C E N T R E Still stuck for ideas? Go online to sagagardencentre.co.uk/christmas where you’ll find plenty more inspiring Christmas gifts for gardeners

sagagardencentre.co.uk/christmas

2016

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

Changing Gardens for Good

The fence system taking the UK by STORM!

FREE

Anna Ryder Richardson - Designer and Television Presenter takes a closer look at how Colourfence can solve your fencing woes for years and years to come…

”

I honestly believe that Colourfence is the best general purpose fencing product on the market today!

“

Now’s the perfect time to get your garden ready for the weather ahead. I’ve wasted countless days and a small fortune, trying to maintain a tired old wooden fence that always looked dreadful and always required yet more work. Discovering Colourfence has changed things forever! It’s scientifically tested and rated to ensure

COLOURFENCE

the revolutionary low-maintenance system

FENCING GUIDE!

when professionally installed it can withstand wind gusts of Call 0800 644 4113 up to 130mph. This year when today to learn the weather is doing its worst - I more & receive this certainly won’t need to worry about ESSENTIAL FREE my fence. The Colourfence system guide to FENCING! offers a lasting solution to fencing woes. It’s easy to see why many regard it as the premier fencing solution on the market. Immune to the rot and resistant to the weather that so quickly effects wooden fences, Colourfence has none of the drawbacks of wood - plenty of additional benefits and what’s more it’s better value too! High quality AND great value - it’s a game changing product with an absolutely first rate finish. The materials and fitting are so good that Colourfence guaranteed† their product for up to 25 years! To find out how Colourfence might help you, I strongly suggest you call 0800 644 4113.

C O LO U R F E N C E

Colourfence is built to last! ANCE INTEN LOW MA

Finish Coat Epoxy Primer Conversion Coating AZ150 Metallic Coating Zincalume® Steel

DITED ACCRE PROFESSIONAL

INSTALLATION

Tried, tested and trusted across the UK, Colourfence is guaranteed† to last!

FREEPHONE

In detail:

0800 644 4113

Virtually Maintenance-free. Save time & money no treating required. Guaranteed† not to rot, warp or peel for up to 25 years.

info@colourfence.co.uk

colourfence.co.uk

†Terms and conditions apply - full details available on request

Costs in line with far inferior timber systems Variety of colours and sizes available Professionally installed by accredited Franchisees

TAKE AWAY Gardening 3 of the best

1 E VERL ASTING DA I SY Acroclinium ‘Giant Double Mix’ Start off under glass for best results. Tall stems and classic yellow-centred daisies.

thevintage gardenstore.com Beautifully restored tools, trugs, barrows and other old garden implements from this Warwickshire team.

3 E VE RL ASTING PIE RROT

Helipterum roseum ‘Pierrot’

4 5

@pietoudolf The legendary Dutch designer is a keen Instagrammer of dreamy photos and videos of his favourite plantings.

Paper-white flowers with striking black centres. Sow indoors and plant out in May.

NATIONAL TRUST IMAGES/JAMES DOBSON

4 HARE’S TA IL GRASS Lagurus ovatus Half-hardy annual grass with soft, fluffy ‘tails’. May be hardy in mild areas.

Anatomy of a

C H R I STM A S G A R L A N D

It takes 35,000 dried flowers to make the annual 60ft swag for Cotehele’s Great Hall very Christmas since 1956, volunteers have devoted two weeks to making a garland from flowers that have been sown, grown, harvested and dried (in the roof above the kitchen) at the National Trust’s Cotehele in Cornwall. The stems are individually threaded into a rope of fresh pittosporum. For this year’s diamond anniversary garland, head gardener David Bouch has grown a selection of blue and white blooms.

youtube.com/ intoGardens Clearly presented video tips to hone your gardening skills.

2 STAT I C E Limonium sinuatum An easy-to-grow halfhardy annual. Sow directly into borders in warmer weather. Blue and yellow used here – also comes in white, pink and purple.

See the anniversary garland from Nov 12-Dec 31 (except 25-26), 11am-4pm, nationaltrust.org.uk/ cotehele, 01579 351346

BUY

Cotehele Garland Seed Mix £3 5 STRAWFLOWER nationaltrust.org.uk/ shop, 0300 123 2025. To buy individually: chilternseeds.co.uk, 01491 824675; thompson-morgan. com, 0844 573 1818

FIND OUT MO R E For details about how the garland is made and tips on how to dry your own flowers, visit

saga.co.uk/ dec-mag

2016

Helichrysum bracteatum

Probably the best everlasting flower of all with shiny papery petals. Comes in a wide range of colours. Start off indoors. 6 PINK POKERS Limonium suworowii Another type of statice with long, pink pipe-cleaner flowers. Low-maintenance plant that does well in seaside gardens.

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

Typical living room

Enjoy comfort friendship this winter

It’s not just the mod cons and thoughtful features of a brand new retirement apartment that bring comfort to our homeowners. It’s also having a friendly House Manager to organise all the exterior maintenance, so homeowners never have to worry about things like clearing leaves from paths and gutters, giving them more time to do the things they enjoy.

Retirement apartments & so much more With almost 40 years’ experience, we know that McCarthy & Stone retirement apartments are about far more than just bricks and mortar. It’s about creating safe and secure environments in desirable locations, where homeowners can socialise in the beautiful communal areas or enjoy the independence of their own, private apartment.

Come & see for yourself Call 0800 153 3549 to visit a development or for a FREE brochure For prices and details of developments nationwide, please visit mccarthyandstone.co.uk/winter

Your own privately-owned apartment, in a stunning development# which offers: ✓ A House Manager who takes care of the day-to-day running ✓ Camera entry and 24 hour call system for added peace of mind ✓ Homeowners’ Lounge for socialising ✓ Great locations close to local amenities ✓ Beautiful gardens all year round ✓ Guest suite for family and friends^ Ask how we can help make moving home easier Features may vary by location. ^At an additional charge.

Retirement apartments for sale nationwide: ENGLAND BERKS Maidenhead, Wokingham BRISTOL Cheswick Village, Staple Hill BUCKS Bourne End, Wendover CAMBS Huntingdon CHESHIRE Cheadle Hulme, Northwich, Sandbach CORNWALL Falmouth CUMBRIA Carlisle, Kendal, Penrith DERBYS Glossop DEVON South Molton DORSET Poole, Poundbury, Swanage, Weymouth E. SUSSEX Bexhill-on-Sea, Hailsham E. YORKS Bridlington, Howden ESSEX Frinton on-Sea, Loughton GLOS Bourton-on-the-Water, Moreton-in-Marsh, Stroud, Tetbury GTR MANCHESTER Harwood, Prestwich, Urmston HANTS Bishops Waltham, Dibden Purlieu, Drayton, Fleet, Hamble, Gosport, Romsey, Wickham HERTS Knebworth, Stevenage IOW Bembridge, Newport LANCS Holcombe Brook, Lancaster, Lytham St. Annes, Ormskirk LEICS Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Glen Parva, Hinckley, Leicester LINCS Cleethorpes, Stamford LONDON Raynes Park, Willesden Green MERSEYSIDE Ainsdale, Crosby, Southport MIDDLESEX Ickenham NORFOLK Cromer, Hunstanton N. YORKS Easingwold, Guisborough, Pickering NORTHANTS Northampton NOTTS Hucknall, West Bridgford OXON Kidlington SHROPS Bridgnorth, Shrewsbury SOMERSET Minehead S. YORKS Wickersley STAFFS Kinver, Stafford, Wolstanton SUFFOLK Felixstowe SURREY Walton-on-Thames TYNE AND WEAR Gosforth WARKS Atherstone, Coleshill W. MIDS Bournville, Penn, Solihull, Tettenhall, Walsall W. SUSSEX Midhurst W. YORKS Leeds WILTS Swindon WORCS Droitwich, Hagley, Malvern, Worcester SCOTLAND AYRSHIRE Alloway EAST DUNBARTONSHIRE Bishopbriggs EAST LOTHIAN Haddington EAST RENFREWSHIRE Newton Mearns EDINBURGH Murrayﬁeld FIFE St Andrews PERTH & KINROSS Kinross, Perth RENFREWSHIRE Paisley WEST LOTHIAN Linlithgow WALES PEMBROKESHIRE Tenby Plus over 50 more developments coming soon NA-AR-SAG-AR-ZZZ-1AM

Motoring TAKE AWAY T H R E E C H R I STM A S GIFTS FOR

petrolheads

1 Skidpan or off-road experience

Thruxton Circuit, Hants is offering readers a 20% discount – £79

instead of £99

using code DISCBS79, thruxtonracing.co.uk, 01264 882222

The new way to get a better car Carlton Boyce on the rise of Personal Contract Plans

he number of car dealerships in the UK is falling – down 1.5% last year. Many people now buy online, but even if we do visit a showroom, far fewer of us purchase new cars outright – thanks to the rise of the Personal Contract Plan (PCP). The PCP premise is simple: you pay a deposit, then a monthly sum for (usually) three years. After that, you hand the car back, trade it in against another or make a final ‘balloon’ payment to keep it. This allows you to get a better car than you might otherwise be able to afford, especially

2 Handpresso Auto Brew a great cup of coffee without leaving the car. £136 proadventure.co.uk, 01978 860605

GETTY

3 Greycar’s Birkin Spot Silk Scarf

Reproduction of scarf worn by 1920s racing driver ‘Bentley Boy’ Tim Birkin. £56.34 inc VAT and UK delivery, greycar.com, 01252 821937

when showrooms and online brokers are competing to offer the cheapest PCPs around, driving down their profit margins but securing you the sort of savings that were previously the preserve of fleet managers. A PCP can be more expensive than buying outright, but it makes it easy to trade up to a better-equipped model. You might balk at spending £1,000 on extras in one go, for example, but when your PCP instalment increases by just £10 a month, choosing a bigger engine or better trim suddenly looks remarkably affordable.

NEED TO KNOW For an especially easy way to search for the best PCP deal, visit financeacar.co.uk, 0800 043 1340. Getting quotes via carwow.co.uk nets an average saving of £3,600 per car.

MO R E I N F O on PCPs and Christmas gifts for motorists at saga.

co.uk/dec-mag

D I D YO U K N OW ?

373,000

T E SL A MODE L 3 EL EC TR IC C ARS RESERV ED. T HAT’S $13 B IL L ION I N D EPOSITS – WITHOU T A TE ST D RIVE 2016

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

GIFT IDEA

SPECIAL OFFER

SPOTLIGHT

Save with

this great gift for home lovers

Battery operated Motion sensored Weather resistant Up to 1 year battery life Easy to install in minutes RRP £22.95

Only £17.95* You save £5.00 “The light was easy to install, and makes a tremendous difference to the area” - Anne

PACK OF 3

Only £43.95* You save £24.90

The darker nights are here, get your discount on our garden Spotlight

Christmas is on its way, if you need gift ideas for the home and garden lover in your family, look no further! Our battery operated, motion sensored, LED Spotlights will automatically light gardens, paths, driveways and garages with no switches required! Spotlight battery life will last up to 1 year with average usage (requires 3 x D cell batteries - also available). The Spotlight will automatically turn on and off when movement is detected and can be installed to any surface in a matter of minutes with no electrician required.

HOW TO ORDER To purchase Mr Beams Spotlights and claim your discount, go to www.mrbeams.co.uk/saga and use code ‘SPOTSAGA’ or call 01452 619420 and quote ‘spot saga offer’. *Plus £3.70 Standard UK carriage charge. Orders over £50 receive free next day delivery.

Technology TAKE AWAY BUYER’S GUIDE

Should you buy the iPhone 7? Apple’s new smartphone is its best yet, but is it worth your while to upgrade? Caramel Quin reports

USEFUL EXTRAS sk yourself two questions: do you need a new smartphone and is iPhone 7 (from £599) the one for you? If you have an iPhone 6S, you don’t need to upgrade. The 7 adds neat features such as optical image stabilisation, higher-quality video and water resistance. But at its heart, it’s the same beast. If you have an older phone that’s battered or sluggish, upgrading to the iPhone 7 won’t disappoint. It’s slim, sleek and powerful, with a pin-sharp screen. Like its predecessor, it’s also available with a larger (5.5-inch not 4.7-inch) screen as the iPhone 7 Plus for a £120 premium. Great if you hate tiny writing on tiny screens, but harder to pocket. The most annoying change? There’s no headphone socket: you must use wireless headphones, ones that work with Apple’s Lightning socket or use an adaptor (included). But the iPhone 7 is expensive. Is this the time to try the more affordable Android? Prices start at around £100. Even top-of-therange models (such as the HTC 10 over the page) are cheaper than the most basic iPhone 7.

HEADPHONES

B&W P5 Wireless £229.99

Comfortable, hi-fi quality, folding design. Connect by Bluetooth, no socket needed. bowers-wilkins.co.uk

IPHONE CASE

Peli Voyager £34.99 This

see-through case has been drop-tested to military standards, to keep your phone safe. amazon.co.uk

IPHONE DOCK

Lightning Dock £49 Apple’s own

FIND OUT MORE Take a look at our iPhone and iPad tips and tricks to help you get the most from your device – just go to saga.co.uk/mag-tech

dock, in five finishes to match your iPhone 7, is the simplest stand for charging and syncing. apple.com/uk 2016

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

INTERN AT

TERNATION IN A

NGE LLE HA

MPETITION CO

Silver 2016

WINE NAL C IO

Bronze

INE & SPIRI T LW

2015

S T R A LIA

I TA LY

DUS VINI IN T UN

COMPETITI O NE

IONAL NAT W I ER

Gold

2010

M I TA LY

DUS VINI IN T UN

COMPETITI O NE

IONAL NAT W I ER

Gold 2011

MPETITION CO

TERNATION IN A

I TA LY

INE & SPIRI T LW

Silver 2014

MPETITION CO

TERNATION IN A

I TA LY INE & SPIRI T LW

Silver 2011

MASTER CO S EC

E DRINKS B TH U

I TA LY SS –- PRO NE S SI

Silver 2016

NGE LLE HA

INTERN AT

I TA LY WINE NAL C IO

Commended

2013

2010 I TA LY

✓

ServiceMark™ accredited

Gran Menzione

PE COM TITIO NE

ITALY INT VIN E

I TA LY ATIONAL WI RN

Technology TAKE AWAY SMART TV LG 43UH620V £449 Great-value 43-inch TV with 4K Ultra High Definition – much better than regular HD. Plus watch catch-up TV and box sets from Netflix and Amazon. Stockists at lg.com/uk

Most wanted Caramel Quin picks out five of the best high-tech treats

SPEAKER Pure Voca £79.99 A compact Bluetooth stereo speaker that connects wirelessly to your smartphone, tablet or laptop. It’s rechargeable so you can listen to music anywhere. Doubles as a speakerphone too. pure.com

TOP TECH TIPS

SMARTPHONES The one gadget in your pocket can replace so many others… Your scanner Apps such as CamScanner let you use your phone camera to scan documents free. You can not only photograph them, but neaten them up so they look like a proper scan – perfect for receipts, business cards and important documents. Pay extra and it can also convert them to text, saving you the trouble of retyping. VIDEO GoPro HERO5 Black £349.99 The best action camera money can buy. It’s the size of a matchbox and waterproof, so you can mount it or wear it pretty much anywhere and shoot stunning 4K video. gopro.com S AT N AV Garmin DriveAssist 50 LMT-D £279.99 Does more than navigate. It films the road ahead (useful if you’re in a collision) and alerts you if you’re too close to the car in front. garmin.com

ANDROID HTC 10 £569.99. This sleek smartphone is a great iPhone 7 alternative if you prefer Android to Apple’s iOS operating system. Powerful and elegant, it’s the world’s first phone to offer optical image stabilisation both front and back, for sharper photos with no camera shake. htc.com

Your gym membership Track your activity without spending money on a pedometer, running watch or bike computer. Free apps such as Runkeeper, MapMyWalk and MapMyRide use your phone’s built-in GPS satellite navigation and motion sensors to measure your performance. It reports back on pace, calories burned, a map and even graphs of your workout. Apps are also available for tracking hikes and even dog-walking. Your scrapbook Use the Pinterest app to take cuttings of all the weird and wonderful things you find online. For example, DIY ideas, recipes, hairstyles, party planning. You file them into folders and then return to browse them whenever you need inspiration. It’s sociable and collaborative too – the app makes it easy to share ideas with friends.

F I N D O U T MO R E For further ways to use your mobile, visit saga.co.uk/dec-mag 2016

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

BEAT THE S K N BA

unity t r o p p O ment t s e rns v u n t I e e R u q n i e n v U with Pro

11%

sfully s e c c u s s PA return since 2012 delivered

s. ers’ return s custom u d e io v te n re p ra not gua Based on expected able ri re a a v s is rn t n tu e Re & investm

• • • •

VERAGE ANNUM A R E P % 1 O1 UNDER EIVE UP T & EACH F C E S R R A & C K T 7 E M£ Y2L UNITS FRO RACT BETWEEN BU L FOR YOU T INVEST IN AL N O IT C O D BINDING ENT - WE M T S E LEGALLY V IN NDS OFF TOTAL HA ERIODS NO VOID P

ks...

or How It W

rovides which p y n a p m co novative . s is an in r l funded a a it tC p e a L c 2 n y o u B s rn e 2012 cked retu anks in d in Jun ce the b asset ba la g p in Launche re rd a to nity leasing nally rew opportu l vehicle e a n th exceptio o ti rs a to n ur inves sed by o ers and r to be u a ﬀers sav c o a s r e a s tC ha Buy2Le wards. al to purc hicles the capit ap the re g re in d n id a on for ve v li il m pro o m .c 2 2 re r£ ies eels4su ised ove compan arm Wh s has ra ase car r le a 0 tC 5 e p L uy2 0 to ading B the FN5 .com in year of tr re h u ft s ﬁ 4 r u ls In o d Whee as place which h me. K by volu in the U

14 9228 0 0 0 8 0 .com ll s r a Ca c t e l 2 ww.buy w it is v r o

els4Sure ars & Whe Buy2LetC in the following featured have been

Money TAKE AWAY

FINANCIAL EXPERT

Paul Lewis

1 G E T A B O O ST However much or little you can afford to give to charity, you can get it boosted by 25% through Gift Aid. If you pay income tax, then a gift-aided donation means the charity can reclaim the tax you paid on the gift. So if you give £100, the charity can get £25 back from the Treasury. Why £25 when the basic rate of tax is 20%? Well, the £25 is the tax you have already paid. You have earned £125 and 20% tax off that leaves you £100, which you give to charity. Gift Aid gets back the £25. If you pay income tax, always say yes to Gift Aid. If you pay higherrate tax, you can reclaim the extra through a self-assessment form. 2 MEMBERS WITH BENEFITS Some charities offer membership with benefits: the National Trust gives free entry to its properties; art galleries give free entry to special exhibitions. These make great gifts: annual membership of the National Trust, for example, costs £63 or £105 for a couple. And remember to Gift Aid it.

ILLUSTRATIONS: TELEGRAMME, ANNE HIGGLE

C H R I STM A S C H A R I T Y

How to give like a wise man I N E I G H T ST E P S

It’s the peak time of year to give to charity. A little thought can make your money go further – and avoid problems later. And it can be a useful way to give a present to a relative who has everything already! Here’s my guide to Christmas gifting

3 A N O N YMO U S D O N AT I O N S Charities rely on donations. One of the most effective ways of fundraising is to write to people who have already given. Anyone who has done so will be on what is called a ‘warm list’ and contacting them usually gets a good response. If you don’t want to be on the list, when you donate make sure you tick or untick the box to let the charity know you don’t want to be contacted in future. If you still get a letter, write ‘do not contact me’ across it and send it back. You can avoid any chance of being hounded by opening a CAF Charity Account with the Charities Aid Foundation. You pay money into it like a bank account  2016

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

101

Our guide to Inheritance Tax

Many people want to pass on their savings and assets to their loved ones when they die. But after decades of hard work it can be disheartening to know that a chunk of the value will vanish in tax before it reaches your children or other beneficiaries. At Saga Investment Services we have put together a handy guide so you can avoid paying more Inheritance Tax than you need to, and understand: ■ How much Inheritance Tax is and who pays it ■ Whether or not you need to pay Inheritance Tax

when giving money away

CSA-AF0956

■ How to calculate and reduce your Inheritance Tax bill.

For more information visit sagainvestments.co.uk/free-investment-guide or give us a call on 0800 033 4000 quoting DECSM

Capital at risk: Past performance is not a guide to future performance. Different funds carry varying levels of risk depending on the geographical region and industry sector in which they invest. You should make yourself aware of these risks before investing. Tax rules depend on your circumstances and can change. This article is not advice. If you are unsure whether an investment is suitable please contact your advisor. Saga Investment Services Limited is an Appointment Representative of Bestinvest (Brokers) Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Finance Conduct Authority (Reg. No. 2830297). Bestinvest (Brokers) Limited is part of the Tilney Bestinvest Group of Companies. 6 Chesterfield Gardens, Mayfair, London W1J 5BQ. Saga Investment Services Limited (Reg. No. 09308423) has registered offices at Enbrook Park, Sandgate, Folkestone, Folkestone, Kent CT20 3SE. SIS311016-1280

“

WE ALL LIKE TO GIVE S O M E T H I N G AT C H R I S TM A S . SO H OW A B O U T A G I F T T H AT IS FOR SOMEONE W H O R E A L LY D O E S NEED IT?

 and the Gift Aid is added. Then

you can donate anonymously from your account using a voucher (like a cheque), standing order or direct payment via CAF’s online service. The CAF takes an admin fee of 4% of what you pay in. cafonline.org

DEBT RESEARCH BY SAGA EQUITY RELEASE, SHUTTERSTOCK

4 NO TINS Never give money to anyone shaking a tin on the high street. It might seem mean, but sadly there are Christmas scammers about who pose as charity collectors. Even if they are genuine it is usually impossible for the charity to collect the Gift Aid on the money you give. So if you see someone collecting for a charity you like the sound of, find its website and make a direct donation – with Gift Aid! 5 G I F T S F O R OT H E R S As Christmas approaches, many relatives and friends say ‘No presents, please’ and mean it. But we all like to give something. So how about a gift that is for someone who really needs it? A donation to Sightsavers can save someone’s sight, or to a homelessness charity can find a bed for a vulnerable young person. The long-established Charities Advisory Trust has a whole range of gifts for people who really need things at goodgifts.org. 6 SPONSORSHIP Raising money for a charity through sponsorship using an

Money TAKE AWAY appeal website is easy. But some sites pass much less on to the charity. MyDonate by BT gives the most, mydonate.bt.com. It charges nothing except a card fee of a few pence. One of the most expensive is the popular JustGiving – a commercial site that takes 63p for every £10 you raise, as well as card-processing fees. 7 WILLING IT Half of us intend to leave money to charities in our wills. Any gift to a registered charity is free of inheritance tax. If you leave more than 10% of your estate to a charity then the rate of inheritance tax is reduced from 40% to 36%. That can be worthwhile. But you should not leave money to charity just to save tax. And don’t leave a charity either a percentage of your estate or what is called a ‘residuary amount’. Leave a fixed cash sum, which is less likely to be contested. For more information, see my free guide to Inheritance Tax at saga.co.uk/magazine-guides. 8 PRICELESS One of the most precious things you can give to a charity doesn’t cost anything – your time. Charities always need volunteers. See p21 for how you could help man the phones for Saga’s chosen charity partner The Silver Line.

FIND OUT MORE For many useful financial articles, visit saga.co.uk/mag-money 

H AV E A Q U E ST I O N ? Email money@saga.co.uk, write to Paul Lewis at the address on p3, or tweet him @paullewismoney. These views are Paul’s own. He can answer questions only on this page or on our website

A QUESTION OF

DEBT

Three out of ten over-50s are in debt – not a situation they expected to be in as they got older The average debt is

£12 ,21 8

in addition to a mortgage and will probably take more than two and a half years to pay off T WO T H I R D S H AV E B O R R OW E D O N A CREDIT CARD 29 % S AY T H E Y A R E ST R U G G L I N G TO PAY O F F DEBT

WOM E N OW E MO R E THAN MEN A N AV E R AG E £15,148 C O M PA R E D TO £9,739

P R I M A RY C AU S E S O F OV E R-50s D E B T

25 %

Buying something unaffordable

12%

Home repairs

Helping children

12%

Losing their job or falling ill

Car repairs

Going on holiday

If you have a debt you can’t pay that worries you, then contact one of the two free debt charities:

National Debtline nationaldebtline.org, 0808 808 4000

Step Change

stepchange.org, 0800 138 1111 2016

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

103

Need more room in your shoes?

Style shown: Daisy-Mae Autumn 2016 Issue 65

AS ADVERTISED ON

TV U R NS

qu No ibbl

uarante eg

EE U K R

3 ways to request your FREE catalogue 1. Complete the reply slip below

2. Call FREE on

0800 731 0148

3. Request online at www.

.com

uarante R NS

qu No ibbl

try

EE U K R

FREE DELIVERY with your

ﬁrst order Enter code SA 11 when shopping 16 online. Offer ends 31 /01/17

hosier y footwear, socks and .com www.

Call 01458 447275 or

visit

Yes, please send me my FREE 144 page Cosyfeet catalogue Mr/Mrs/Ms/Miss/Other: __________________ Name: ___________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________ Postcode: __________________________________________

SA1116

Address: _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Telephone: _______________________________ Email: __________________________________________________________________________ From time to time, we may make sections of our mailing list available to carefully selected companies whose products or services may be of interest to you. If you would prefer not to receive such mailings, please tick this box or let us know by phone.

Return to: FREEPOST COSYFEET

(This is all you need to write but it must be written in capitals).

Offer ends 31/01/17

Money TAKE AWAY STAY A H E A D O F T H E G A M E

Paul’s shorts

WASPI TAKES LEGAL ADVICE Women born in the 1950s who want compensation for having their pension age increased – twice – to as high as 66, have raised £75,000 for legal advice. Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) has engaged top London solicitors Bindmans to explore the possibility of taking the Government to court. It claims the failure to inform women in good time was maladministration and has left hundreds of thousands of women in poverty. WASPI wants transitional protection for the two million-plus women affected. Follow WASPI on Facebook; see more at saga.co.uk/mag-money

R E S O LV E I T

If you have a problem with a bank, a retailer or an online firm, how do you sort it out?

Since I first mentioned Resolver three years ago in Saga Magazine it has taken on well over 750,000 cases and its founder James Walker claims it will hit nearly £100 million of redress by the end of this year. Unlike commercial claims management firms, Resolver takes nothing from you. It makes its money from firms that want to improve their complaint-handling. Your personal data is RESOLVER never shared. HELPS YOU… Resolver holds Write your complaint email details of how to Send it to the right person complain to Escalate it at the right time around 30,000 Remind the firm it has firms and not responded organisations. Send it to the appropriate Two-thirds of cases ombudsman if get sorted, most necessary of them with financial BETTER BEWARE compensation. We spend £3.5 billion gambling online and £1.7 billion on fixed-odds machines at betting For details, visit resolver.co.uk shops. The Government is considering banning daytime TV ads for online gambling and restricting how much can be staked on the machines. Meanwhile, the Competition and I N V E ST I N G Markets Authority is investigating gambling websites for having complex rules that leave losing punters crying foul. My advice? Never bet. It’s the bookies who have the Bentleys.

Need to know

SHUTTERSTOCK, RAY TANG/LNP

Merryn Somerset Webb

COULD YOU MAKE A CLAIM? If you bought an annuity from July 2008, you may be in line for compensation. The biggest group affected are more than 100,000 people who had health issues that were not taken into account when the annuity was fixed. People with conditions including heart disease, diabetes or cancer should get a higher annuity as they are likely to live a shorter time than healthy people. But insurers often did not make that clear, nor did they encourage people to look at other providers. They just sold their pension customers their own annuity: often not the best. Some insurers are reviewing their sales, but it is more sensible to put in your own claim. See my blog paullewismoney.blogspot.co.uk – search for ‘annuity’.

Want to buy £1 worth of assets for 70p? If small investment trusts are managing assets of less than £3-400m, wealth managers won’t buy them. So their stock prices have fallen – often to well below the net value of assets they hold. Buy the Miton Global Opportunities trust run by Nick Greenwood. He’s done all the hard work for you – and holds all the most interesting discounted trusts in his own fund. MERRYN IS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF MONEYWEEK. HER VIEWS ARE PERSONAL: INVESTORS SHOULD SEEK PROFESSIONAL ADVICE

2016

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

105

BE WELL PLACED FOR RETIREMENT.

LARMENIER VILLAGE Edge of the beautiful Ribble Valley, Lancashire Prices from £106,000

M AI N I

E D G C U M B E C O U RT Overlooking glorious Plymouth Sound, Devon Prices from £149,500

orth or South, there are few finer ways to enjoy the relaxing grandeur of hotel-style retirement living. Our elegant and stylish one and two-bedroom apartments are set in wonderful landscaped grounds, each enjoying close proximity to quintessentially English locations. Added to this is a host of social and leisure facilities at both Larmemier Village and Edgcumbe Court, as well as a comprehensive range of support services.

Nazareth Retirement Villages

For more information including details of our Trial in style scheme please telephone: Larmenier Village on 01254 677926 or Edgcumbe Court on 01752 229534

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Nazareth Care Charitable Trust

www.nazarethretirementvillages.co.uk

Transform your conservatory and stay warm this winter Warm in winter

Cool in summer

Easy clean glass

Energy efficient

10 year guarantee

Complete in 3 days!

Why choose Radiant Reflective? ■ Complete conservatory rebuilds and roof replacement ■ PVC & aluminium specialists ■ LABC certificate supplied upon all solid roof installations ■ All brickwork & plastering undertaken ■ 10 year manufacturer & insurance backed guarantee’s ■ Award winning 95% satisfaction

£500

* SPECIAL WINTER OFFER CASHBACK EXCLUSIVE TO SAGA READERS

Call today for a no obligation quote (Quote SM1216) a nd a n in-h use de m

Proud to be manufactured in Britain

u r u ni u e high perf rma nce glass

0800 020 6140 *Orders must be placed by 31.01.17. Minimum order value £2000.

Replacement Roofs | Conservatory Makeovers | Brand New Builds

Money TAKE AWAY YO U R M O N E Y P R O B L E M S S O LV E D

Annie Shaw

Last December I bought a plaque by mail order, with my sister’s house name on it, as a Christmas present. It didn’t arrive in time, so I had to buy another gift. What are my rights if a retailer fails to deliver goods on time? Should I have asked for a refund?

ALAMY

When you order goods by mail order you are entitled to return them, whether they are suitable or not. The Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 – which replaced the Distance Selling Regulations – say you must be able to inspect goods before accepting them. There are some exceptions, including perishable goods such as food and flowers, and items that have been custom-made or personalised. Your plaque would fall into the latter category. However, the goods must arrive within a reasonable time. Where no time period is specified, the limit is 30 days. In this case, though, if the firm said it could deliver in time for Christmas, or you made it clear that you wished to purchase the item only if it could be delivered within a particular time frame, this condition would form part of the purchase contract and you would be entitled to ask for a refund if the retailer did not keep its side of the bargain.

My family has always been very traditional and included silver threepenny (3d) pieces in our Christmas pudding. Sadly, they were stolen in a burglary and I wonder if it is possible

to buy replacements – preferably genuine? Or what alternatives could we use?

Putting coins in Christmas puddings is controversial these days on various health and safety grounds. Nevertheless, it is an age-old custom and many people continue to do it. Purists consider modern coins a no-no and only silver 3d pieces will do or, perhaps, an old sixpence. Dealers such as Dauwalders of Salisbury are a good source of silver 3d coins, worldstamps. co.uk, 01722 412100. Or try eBay, where prices range from £1 to £10. Non-traditionalists may like to use silver charms instead.

D I D YO U K N OW ?

£1 trillion

is the amount of retired homeowners’ property wealth, which has continued to increase despite fears of property prices falling as a result of Brexit

£380

is how much the over-55s could be wasting each year on TV channels they never watch. Three in five say they don’t get their money’s worth from their TV package

57%

of people aged between 50 and 64 are worried they will run out of money in retirement, compared with just 37% of over-65s

SPOTLIGHT ON



H AV E A Q U E ST I O N ? Email annie@saga.co.uk, or write to Annie Shaw at the address on p3. She can answer questions only on this page or on our website

G I F T VO U C H E R S If you receive one, spend it as soon as possible. And if you give one, first check that the issuer’s business is secure. The rights of voucher holders are limited.

F I N D O U T MO R E For lots of useful financial articles, visit saga.co.uk/mag-money 2016

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

107

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Turmeric+ is in a different league

a curry spice have lower rates of arthritis and joint damage, and they began to investigate. The key element of turmeric called curcumin, comes from the underground stems of the turmeric plant. These stems called rhizomes, are boiled, dried and then ground up to produce the medicinal powder, which is also prized by Asian cooks for its unique peppery flavour. Scientific studies found that turmeric works by interrupting the chemical pathways and signaling mechanisms involved in joint inflammation and arthritis. These same mechanisms are also being targeted by pharmaceutical companies racing to produce a much more expensive drug that does the same thing as turmeric. Until now it has been difficult to boost the body’s absorption of natural turmeric sufficiently for it to have a really rapid effect on the aches and pains that are symptoms of joint damage. That has all changed with the launch of Turmeric+, a formulation supported by Cambridge scientists that combines turmeric with another plant extract called soy lethicin. This combination which now has 22 published clinical research papers

lympic physiotherapists and premier league football coaches are now recommending turmeric as the best way to keep the body’s joints in lifelong working order. Turmeric+ is being used to reduce the risk of inﬂammation caused by intensive training, and for treating damaged joints without exposing elite athletes to the problems caused by standard over-the-counter painkillers. The supplement has already been used by soccer stars from FC Barcelona and Athletico Bilbao, and is being tried out at Barcelona’s Olympic Training Centre as well as in other training centres in Britain and France. “We are always looking for something that's better than paracetamol or aspirin, which don't work very well and cause side effects,’ says Francek Drobnic, head of research at the Barcelona centre. The powerful effect of the plant extract on joint health has also been welcomed by doctors, who are concerned people are risking their health because of long-term painkiller use. The rise of turmeric came about because many scientists noticed that populations with high intakes of turmeric as

to conﬁrm its effect, is 30 times better absorbed or ‘bioavailable,’ than natural turmeric alone. Longer term studies are expected to show that the Turmeric+ formulation is the most effective treatment for joint health currently available.

Support Healthy Joints with TURMERIC+ 30 DAY SUPPLY

£20

✓ Highly bioavailable formulation delivering more of the good stuff to your body ✓ 30x more absorbable than standard Turmeric ✓ Turmeric combined with soy lecithin ✓ 22 published clinical papers

*Discount valid until 30 June 2017. One use per customer. FutureYou Turmeric+ should be consumed as part of a healthy and balanced diet and lifestyle. Discount code cannot be combined with any other offers.

Order your supplements from www.FutureYouHealth.com Or call our office 01223 750 874

FFER SIVE O EXCLU

0 1 £ E V SA Y YOU BU WHEN PACKS TWO 117 A DE SAG USE CO

Money TAKE AWAY T H E S AV V Y S H O P P E R

Jennifer Newton

FYI SAVE ONLINE BUT CHECK…

C U T T H E C O ST O F C H R I STM A S

From the big food shop to bargain gifts, we’ve got seasonal savings all wrapped up F E A ST F O R L E S S … Nearly half of Brits (49%) are shopping online this Christmas according to research by YouGov. But whether you buy your groceries online or in-store, check first on mysupermarket.co.uk for the best value, for example Morrisons Whole British Turkey is £4 per kg compared with Waitrose Free Top tip Range Turkey at £8.49 per kg. A turkey crown Sign up to may cost more per kilo but it may be better value Laithwaite’s wine plan and as there’s no waste – Tesco Finest Free Range you receive 12 bottles of The Bronze Basted Turkey Crown is £14 per kg. Season’s Favourites for just B U L K B U Y W I N E … online as it will save

...cost of postage and returns. Charges can often wipe out the saving of buying online. ...what the returns policy is. You have 14 days by law to return items bought online but at Christmas many retailers give more time to return gifts. Amazon allows returns until January 31 on most items bought from November 1; Marks & Spencer 35 days, or until January 15 for items bought from September; John Lewis allows 90 days from purchase. ...the delivery date, to ensure your gifts arrive before Christmas. ...Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974. When paying with plastic for goods over £100, you can get a refund through your credit-card provider if you can’t get one from the retailer.

£52.68, a free Dartington Crystal Decanter (worth £40) and free delivery. Future cases come with 10% off. saga.co.uk/ laithwaites

£££s and you won’t have to lug it home. Tesco has free delivery on orders over £60, Sainsbury’s on orders over £100. Aldi too has launched an online wine store – look for its highly recommended wines, such as Estevez Pinot Noir, £28.74 for six.

GETTY

3 of the best

F R E E A P P S T O S TAY I N T O U C H Use your smartphone to connect with family and friends abroad this Christmas without racking up the costs: W H AT S A P P Free messaging and calls via the web. The app shows from your contact list who’s on WhatsApp too. Tap a contact to call.

VIBER

With this app you can make free calls over the web on all of your devices – desk-top computers, laptops, tablets and smartphones.

FOOCALL Use this if you can’t rely on Wi-Fi for international calls. Phoning an Australian landline from the UK is 0.8p a minute, 2.5p a minute to a mobile.

PRETTY CLEVER

Plain brown paper with colourful ribbon or twine and tags is austerity chic. The Post Office sells rolls of brown parcel paper for less than £2. Rymans has Reinforced Strung Tags at £4.99 for 100 or 12 Gold Luggage Tags for £1.99. For gold and silver paper, get Poundland’s Luxury Range – £1 for a 3m roll or pack of two gift bags. 2016

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

109

TAKE AWAY Advertising feature

Gareth Shaw

I’ve just given my daughter £30,000 to put down a deposit on a home. I read that when I die, she’ll have to pay inheritance tax on this amount? Is this true?

It was Benjamin Franklin, one of the Founding Fathers of the USA, who first coined the phrase ‘In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes’. And nowhere is the point more relevant than when discussing what you leave behind when you die, and a potential inheritance tax (IHT) bill that might remain for your loved ones to deal with. Let’s first talk about the basics of IHT. Your estate – the assets you leave including cash, investments, property and valuables – could be subject to a tax of 40% if it exceeds certain thresholds. For an individual, the current threshold – called the ‘nil-rate band’ – is £325,000. Anything over that could be

subject to IHT. However, you can pass any unused allowance to your spouse or civil partner when you die – meaning that a couple can potentially pass on a maximum of £650,000 tax-free. IHT doesn’t affect everyone. According to HMRC, the Government received £4.6bn from IHT in 2015/16, and around 41,000 taxpayers were hit by it – around one in seven. If your estate exceeds the nil-rate band, there are a few things you can legally do to reduce it – namely, giving gifts. As always with UK tax law, however, there are strict rules and, to answer your question, there could still be an IHT bill when you give money away.

TA X- F R E E G I F T S Gifts between spouses and civil partners are always tax free, as well as gifts that come out of your normal expenditure, so long as they don’t reduce your standard of living. You can also give away any number of gifts of £250 – although an individual can receive only one gift of £250 a year. Parents can give up to £5,000 each towards a wedding; grandparents up to £2,500 each. You can also give up to £3,000 in total each tax year, and carry forward the previous year’s ‘annual exemption’ if you haven’t used it. So you and your spouse could give £12,000 to one person without any risk of an IHT bill.

P OT E N T I A L LY TA X- F R E E G I F T S Provided you haven’t used this and last year’s exemptions, the remaining £18,000 you’ve given

I F YO U D I E WITHIN SEVEN Y E A R S , YO U R D A U G H T E R M AY H A V E T O P AY A £ 7, 2 0 0 I H T B I L L to your daughter could be subject to IHT, resulting in a maximum £7,200 bill. That will be triggered if you die within seven years of giving the gift. This rule is designed to stop people giving away fortunes on their death bed to avoid IHT. However, with each year that passes, the amount of IHT payable reduces. If you die within the first three years of the seven-year period, the full amount of IHT is due. Between three and four years, the bill is reduced to 32%; between four and five it falls to 24%; five and six 16%; six and seven 8% until the seven years have passed and no IHT is payable.

H E R E TO H E L P If you need to plan for inheritance tax, Saga Investment Services has a team of expert financial planners nationwide who can talk you through the options and help you ensure your wishes are carried out. Call us on 0800 033 4000 and book an appointment today.

F I N D O U T MO R E For our guide to estate planning, visit sagainvestments.co.uk/iht

IMPORTANT INFORMATION This article is based on our interpretation of tax legislation; it is not intended as advice, and the impact of any changes to tax rates or allowances will depend on your personal circumstances. Saga Investment Services Limited is a joint venture between Saga and Tilney Bestinvest and is separate from Saga Personal Finance. Saga Investment Services Limited is an Appointed Representative of Bestinvest (Brokers) Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (Reg. No. 2830297 with registered offices at 6 Chesterfield Gardens, Mayfair, London, W1J 5BQ), or other members of the Tilney Bestinvest Group of Companies. Saga Investment Services Limited (Reg. No. 09308423) has registered offices at Enbrook Park, Sandgate, Folkestone, Kent CT20 3SE.

11 0

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

2016

ILLUSTRATION: GARY NEILL

I N V E STM E N T E X P E R T

FLY A

SPITFIRE .co.uk

DECK THE HALLS WITH

instant decorations Too busy to go the whole hog but still want to add sparkle to your home? Julie Woodgate’s quick fixes will leave you time for more important things. Glass of bubbly, anyone?

EDITOR’S PICK

S AY I T W I T H WO R D S

Welcome guests with a cheerful greeting on your hall table or use individual wooden letters to spell out simple words such as NOEL or JOY on your mantelpiece or kitchen windowsill. Christmas Typography Sign £16 24cm (10in) square,

The Christmas Home, notonthehighstreet.com

PA P E R D E C O R AT I O N S

Light enough to hang from the ceiling, we like these 30cm (12in) Vintage Noel Snowflake Fans £4.99 for two. Paper bells, pom-poms and stars also available.

partypieces.co.uk, 01635 201844

P R E TT Y LIGHTS

Spell out the season’s greeting of your choice with Lakeland’s

Message Light Box £19.99 or add vintage style with the LED

Retro Light String £24.99 lakeland.co.uk, 015394 88100

A D D I N S TA N T S PA R K L E T O YO U R H O M E AT TH E FLIC K OF A S W ITC H

11 2

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

2016

TAKE AWAY Property

BUNTING AND GARL ANDS

Quick to hang and bring instant cheer. Visiting grandchildren will love Santa and Friends Polar Bear Wooden Bunting strung above their beds in the guest room. £6.99 partypieces.co.uk, 01635 201844

E V E R L A ST I N G F O L I AG E Dust it down and re-hang year after year – this Berry

and Pine Wreath from Bloom will retain its realistic appearance. 54cm (21in) diameter.

£49 bloom.uk.com, 0844 482 2332

AVO I D T H E T U S S L E

Is a specific parking bay mentioned in your lease and title plan? If so, the managing agent, on behalf of the freeholder, has a duty to protect your right to use that space. But if there is only a general right to use the forecourt parking and you told your solicitor of your needs at the time of purchase, he/she may have negligently failed to protect your interests. Installing a remote-controlled type of parking bollard could solve the practical aspect.

We have just had our loft insulated. The insulation is so thick the ceiling joists are buried. Is it all right to store our bits and pieces on the insulation?

£150 John Lewis

TO HOME IN ON

I am disabled and own a ground-floor flat. When I bought it I was assured I could park on the forecourt next to the entrance. Despite having put up a ‘Disabled Parking’ notice I often find the space occupied. The managing agent isn’t interested. Any suggestions?

No more untangling last year’s tree lights with a pre-lit Christmas tree. This space-saver, snowy Pre-lit Pop-up Christmas Tree stands 1.8m (6ft) tall and has 200 warm white LED lights.

3 of the best

B R I C KS A N D M O R E

Chartered surveyor John Conlin sorts out your legal and building woes

Squashing the insulation will reduce its effectiveness and could put pressure on the ceilings. Try fitting metal struts (‘loft legs’) to the joists to support ply panels to form a storage platform above the insulation. 

INSPIRE ME No complicated tutorials , just brilliant before and after pictures to browse. betterafter.net

PA I N T M AG I C Everlong Superior Chalk Paint is the easy way to upgrade old furniture. £23.50 per litre, everlongpaint.com

S H A B BY C H I C Schüller’s Country range is easy-clean ‘distressed’ laminate.

From £709 (ex VAT), inhouseltd.co.uk

H AV E A Q U E ST I O N ? Email surveyor@saga.co.uk, or write to John Conlin at the address on p3. John can answer questions only on this page or on our website. For more property Q&As, visit

saga.co.uk/conlin

2016

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

113

Wardley’s wish was to relieve stress – what will your legacy be? Robert Wardley left a gift in his will. He wanted his legacy to be used to help relieve the stress experienced by pharmacists. The result: a new wellbeing service. NEW SHARED OWNERSHIP

2 BEDROOM Wheelchair Adaptable Apartments For information about room sizes, kitchens and specifications call Hyde New Homes on:

Visit: www.pharmacistsupport.org Call: 0161 441 0317 Email: fundraising@pharmacistsupport.org

0345 606 1221 or email us at: info@hydenewhomes.co.uk

G IN H C 17 UN 20 LA

Pharmacist Support is a charitable company limited by guarantee registered in England & Wales, company no 9237609 & charity no 1158974

CO N T E M P O R A RY N E W H O M E S I N T H E H E A R T O F N O R T H D E VO N

BUNGALOWS AND DOR MA BUNGALOWS P R I C E S F R O M £ 2 6 5 ,0 0 0 - £ 3 5 0 ,0 0 0 O P E N W E E K E N D O C T 2 9 -3 0 T H B A R N S TA P L E , D E VO N , E X 3 1 3 DX

Will you make your will make a difference?

For fur ther info: barnstaple@webbers.co.uk thesunhouses.com 01271 373404

The Saga Directory

Products and services for the over 50s. For further details, please call the relevant number below, stating reference PD636, or visit saga.co.uk

Home and leisure Home insurance

0800 068 8407

Life insurance

0800 056 6369

Pet insurance

0800 096 4559

Guaranteed life insurance

0800 096 9810

Boat insurance

0800 559 3194

International payments

Holiday home insurance

0800 083 6648

ISAs

Home emergency

0800 015 4770

Landlord insurance

0800 302 9009

Saga Magazine

0800 056 1057

Retirement income services

Travel Travel insurance

Motor

Ocean cruises

Motor insurance

0800 092 9377

Breakdown assistance

0800 092 9376

Van insurance

0800 051 0987

Caravan insurance

0800 096 4087

Motorhome insurance Motorhome breakdown assistance

Cruise World Travellers World worldwide holidays

0800 409 6831 p48-49 p58-59

0800 051 3355 0800 302 9014 0800 092 4677

Europe and Mediterranean stays

0800 092 1178

0800 096 4555

Europe and Mediterranean tours

0800 092 3082

0800 096 4555

River cruising

0800 046 2481

Explore Britain

0800 092 3080

Health

Special interest holidays

0800 414 444

Group holidays

0800 300 666

Travel money

0800 904 7236

Health insurance

0800 096 4083

Personal assistance alarms

0800 068 5059

Health cash plan

0800 096 4086

Personal accident insurance

0800 559 3190

In association with Saga

Accidental death benefit

0800 559 3190

Laithwaiteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Wine

0333 014 8166

Warner Leisure Hotels

0330 100 9780

Hertz worldwide car hire

0870 241 3657

Money Saga Investment Services powered by Tilney Bestinvest

CSM-GS1164v1

0800 0150 995 saga.co.uk/money/ investments 0800 206 1816

0800 083 2838

Platinum credit card

0800 033 4000 London theatre tickets Holiday Extras 0800 096 4082 Cottages.com

Equity release advice service

0800 056 6102

Wadswick Green village

0800 096 0908

Care funding advice service

0800 051 5630

Donald Russell

Savings accounts

0800 066 5792

James Villa Holidays

Share dealing

0800 206 1947

Other discounts from our partners

p102

0207 492 1560 0345 268 1796 01467 629666 0800 074 0233 saga.co.uk/ partnerdiscounts

RETIREMENT APARTMENTS FOR SALE

THE COLDER IT GETS OUTSIDE, THE HAPPIER AND MORE RELIEVED OUR OWNERS ARE THEY MOVED HERE! Our owners used to dread the weather forecast – now they just relax. No more draughts, no more frightening heating bills! A brand new purpose-built Churchill apartment means excellent energy efﬁciency, no unexpected maintenance bills, and complete peace of mind – whatever the weather. The shops and amenities are just down the road, there’s a social life to join in with whenever you feel like it, and you have the peace of mind that comes from extra security built in.

Make this the last winter you spend worrying and make the ﬁrst move towards Churchill today. Take a tour this Winter and we’ll give you a £10 M&S Gift Card# APARTMENTS FOR SALE Berks Newbury ; Bristol Henleaze; Cheshire Chester; Cornwall Truro, Penzance; Devon Honiton, Torquay*; Dorset Bridport*, Christchurch; Essex Chelmsford*, Waltham Abbey; Gloucs Cirencester; Gtr Manchester Sale, Timperley; Hants Andover, Drayton, Fleet, Ringwood, Romsey, Southampton, Waterlooville; Herts Berkhamsted, Bishop’s Stortford, Stevenage Old Town; Kent Dartford*, Orpington, Maidstone*; Merseyside Formby*; Oxfordshire Bicester; Somerset Nailsea, Portishead; Surrey Ashtead*, Camberley, Carshalton*, Caterham, Farnham, Leatherhead, Walton-on-Thames, Warlingham; Warwickshire Royal Leamington Spa; W Mids Sutton Coldfield; W Sussex East Wittering*, Haywards Heath; W Yorks Wetherby, Wilts Malmesbury* Worcs Pershore*. *

Friendly neighbours can make a big difference, especially as we grow older. I have personally witnessed the beneﬁts the company of good neighbours can bring at Churchill’s lodges all over the UK, where, whenever they wish, the owners can share a fun and sociable lifestyle in their retirement.” Dame Esther Rantzen DBE

Call for a brochure, or visit our website now to ﬁnd out about our speciﬁc promotions.

churchillretirement.co.uk

0800 840 5745

*Launching within the next six months. #T&Cs apply. Visit our website for full details - www.churchillretirement.co.uk/terms-and-conditions/

btw

HAVE YOUR SAY

LIKE IT OR LOATHE IT? SHARE YOUR VIEWS...

£50

LETTER

VOT E R FAT I G U E An item on BBC Two’s Daily Politics programme showed that over the past six decades most people had made up their minds six months before the date of an election. Long campaigns were, in fact, a total waste of time and money. Given the low standard of the interminable debate over Brexit and the unpleasant US presidential campaigning, is it too much to ask for the next General Election campaign to last just a long weekend?

J Burrows, W London

Get involved  Email us at editor@saga.co.uk

Write to us at Saga Magazine, Enbrook Park, Folkestone, Kent CT20 3SE

W H AT ’S O C C U R R I N G ? Craft beer and cider apples in the same issue (October) – great stuff! I recently travelled through rural Wales and was astonished by the number of pubs that even small villages support. Most had something going on every night, from folk singing to Welsh lessons for beginners, with fair prices and delicious local food. Yet we read about how many pubs are closing in the UK overall. We need to see what the Welsh are doing right before the English pub disappears. 

Join our community at facebook.com/saga

LEAD SINGERS

Having read Oliver Bennett’s article about pampered pooches (October) and been amazed to learn that the Park Hyatt Vienna can arrange for dogs to go to the opera without their owners, we were pondering what might be the most appropriate opera for one’s dog. My husband’s suggestion? Fidolio. I Wilson, Bridlington Editor’s note: Or perhaps the cantatas by Bach. Or The Tails of Hoffmann. Any other suggestions?

Follow us on Twitter @SagaUK speaking, had short stories and a novel published, appeared on The Weakest Link and travelled to the Far East and the United States. I also work as a TV extra. Busting another decade next year holds no fears for me.

H Grange

M Cobbett, Ripon, N Yorks

R O SY F U T U R E

C O O L AT S C H O O L

Rosie Swale Pope (The awesome adventurer, October) abhors a life that, to quote Auden, ‘vaguely leaks away’. Well, mine certainly shows no sign of it yet. Since retiring from teaching, I’ve done charity work and public

My collection of school magazines show my old classmate Rose Griffin – as Rosie Swale Pope was then – winning prizes with honours, including first prize in the school’s hobbies exhibition for an ‘excellent

The editor welcomes your letters – no more than 100 words, please – but reserves the right to edit them

cartoon’, and she and I won joint first in an essay competition. One issue had two wonderfully well-written submissions by Rosie, as self-deprecating and funny at 15 as she clearly is today. Someone as original as Rosie was always going to find difficulties in fitting in at first, but she had plenty of admirers there and not a few friends.

D Mason, S London ST E P S B AC K I N T I M E Fit For Life (October) took me back to my first week at secondary school, and our PE

2016

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG



119

This Christmas why not let us do the dinner? Try our Christmas Selection Pack for only £37.95 7 Main Courses with vegetables

• Honey Roast Turkey Breast • Gammon in Cranberry & Orange Sauce • Roast Pork with Cranberry Stuffing • Turkey Hotpot • Coq Au Vin • Beef with Roast Potatoes & Yorkshire Pudding • Braised Beef in Rich Sauce 5 Desserts • Luxury Christmas Pudding • Sherry Trifle • Chocolate Orange Ice Cream • Lemon Sponge • Mulled Fruit Crumble

Available to order from 12/10/16 to 31/12/16 ORDER CODE: CS5

FREE*

CHRISTMAS TEA TOWEL

Discover our festive delights delivered straight to your door It’s everyone’s favourite meal of the year, but it’s certainly a lot of work. This year, why not let Wiltshire Farm Foods take care of the cooking while you put your feet up and enjoy the day? We’ve got all the Christmas classics on the menu from Roast Turkey, Chicken, Beef and of course Christmas Pudding. Plus some delicious new meals, including Coq au Vin and Chocolate Orange Ice Cream! It’s your Christmas after all, so let us make it enjoyable and delicious. We’ll deliver your tasty dinner direct to your freezer. When you’re ready to eat, simply pop your meal in the microwave or oven and enjoy. Ask for your FREE brochure today, and order over the phone or online. There’s no better time of year to discover Wiltshire Farm Foods. To order your Christmas Selection Pack call

worth £3.95

0800 066 3905 where you can also order your FREE brochure

wiltshirefarmfoods.com

*With every Christmas selection pack, while stocks last.

SG1010

CAST IRON STOVES

Designer Riser Recliners now...

Half Price!

23 Great Looking Styles

BurnWood or Coal Big Stocks of Flue Pipes & Accessories in-store

Selling Top Quality Stoves for over 20 years

Fit Now Ready For Winter!

BUCKINGHAM £238.80

All Stoves conform to EN13240

NEW

SAG11/16c

NEW

For a brochure call FREE

or visit www.willowbrook.co.uk

*Selected lines only. Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. Optional extras charged as per retail price list. Offer ends 18/12/2016.

WENTWORTH £358.80 REGAL III £479.98

BARREL II

£262.80

SEE THE FULL RANGE IN STORES NATIONWIDE

machinemart.co.uk MAIL ORDER: 0115 956 5555 25659

0800 854 330

teacher who marched us up and down the gym chanting ‘Heel, ball, toe! Heel, ball, toe!’ Decades later, some of us still laugh about it, but if we’d taken as much notice of her homilies on sensible footwear, too – she was a fan of Clarks T-bar sandals – we might have far fewer corns and bunions between us! 

M Collie

D U F F N OT E It’s thumbs-down regarding the ‘new’ fiver. I gave them a go but I’ve lost four of them in the past month as they’re too smooth and hard to fold. I think they were deliberately badly designed to boost the aims of the ‘cashless society’ brigade. 

D Stallybrass

SHARED EXPERIENCE Well done to Monica Porter and her feature on surviving retirement (November). I wish I’d read it when my husband and I both took early retirement. Two years on, and we’ve just about negotiated how to share our space all of the time! Carving out a private corner just for yourself – even a makeshift desk under the stairs – will give you somewhere to retreat to when he’s talking about last night’s documentary… again.

J Bond, Newcastle-upon-Tyne IN THE FRAME After years of drowning in too much clutter, I’ve found a solution for all those precious but worthless objects gathering dust on my shelves. I take a photo of, say, the Jack Russell figurine I bought for my father in 1973, or bright blue wine glasses from a brocante in France, given to me by my son and never used – then throw them out. I’ve now

got pictures of those beloved objects that mean nothing to anyone but me, so I can keep the memory but not the clutter! 

Diana Maples

SIMPLE PLEASURES I was delighted to read Bill Bailey’s new column in the November issue. I’m a huge admirer and had the pleasure of meeting him in person when he did a show in my home town of Kendal. He’s absolutely right when he sums up the fact that it really is the simple pleasures in life that give great happiness.

Sue Just, Kendal, Cumbria THE REJECT SHOP? Am I the only one to have failed in the online job application process for two well-known high-street chains? No! Three highly qualified friends also didn’t get past the first post with this humiliating process. It’s all very well the Government telling anyone over 50 to retrain and work into their sixties. But have any of them ever actually tried to find work later in life? 

F Weald

LO U D A N D P R O U D How refreshing to read the piece on older models in the November issue. Yes, I know they were slim, and all naturally really stunning, but at least they were over 50 and looked anything but invisible. Maggie Alderson is right when she says she’s not up for disappearing into the wallpaper now she’s over 50. I only wish my mother were alive to see it. Her generation were expected to go quietly into the night. Not any more we’re not! Sequins à gogo! 

Jane Brownlow

MEET THE TEAM EDITOR KATY BRAVERY Deputy Editor SIMON HEMELRYK Features Editor GILLIAN ROWE Homes & Gardens Editor TIFFANY DANEFF Travel Editor GUY PIERCE Editor-at-Large EMMA SOAMES Art Director PAUL HAYES-WATKINS Magazine Art Editor JESS HIBBERT Picture Editor SUE STRANGE Picture Research JASMINE PERRY Chief Sub-Editor RHONA KYLE Sub-Editor SHARON AMOS Editorial Assistants MARIA ABOBELEIRA, VICTORIA PAGE Senior Digital Editor MELODY ROUSSEAU Digital Editors REBECCA ELLIOTT, AMANDA ANGUS Digital Art Editor KEVIN BENNETT

TO ADVERTISE CALL 020 7233 1157 EMAIL adsales@saga.co.uk Commercial Director SEUMAS GREY Agency Account Managers MATT ISAACS, SAMINA QAYYUM, KYRA WILLIS Media Executive CHARLOTTE GAMBLING Senior Subscriptions Marketing Manager DANIELLE CHIVERS Acquisition Manager LUKE CHADWICK Retention Manager CARLA TAYLOR Marketing Executive VICKY BROWN Management Accountant ANTHONY MARSDEN Accounts Assistant GILLIAN SMALLWOOD

DIRECTOR, SAGA PUBLISHING MATTHEW BATH PA to the Publishing Director and Editor NIKKI EVANS

CONTACT US Subscription Sales 0800 056 1057 Subscription Renewals 0800 904 7332 Subscription Queries 0800 904 7214 Overseas Subscription Queries 0044 1303 773527 Email subs.enquiries@saga.co.uk All telephone services operate Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm Editorial 01303 771523 Other Saga Services 01303 771111 Write to: Saga Magazine, Enbrook Park, Folkestone, Kent CT20 3SE

3 2 5 , 359 J A N - J U N 16

Saga Magazine is published by Saga Publishing Ltd. Available through personal subscription. December 2016 issue. Publication date November 25, 2016. Printed by Prinovis UK Ltd. Colour reproduction by Williams Lee Tag. Care is taken to ensure that advertisers adhere to advertising codes of practice and are of good standing, but no guarantee can be given by Saga Magazine. The fact that an advertisement has been accepted in good faith does not imply that the advertiser has the magazine’s endorsement. The publisher accepts no responsibility for any statement, error or omission in any advertisement. Readers responding to advertisers are advised to seek professional advice before entering into any financial commitment. PRICES: BASIC ANNUAL RATE. Subscriptions UK £48; ROI £48; Rest of World £48 We regret that we cannot acknowledge receipt of unsolicited material or return it unless an SAE is supplied. Please do not send original photos and make copies of articles before sending. Views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the Editor or of Saga Group. Prices/availability of products correct at time of going to press.

2016

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

12 1

Served in 1958 Blind at 75 Supported this Christmas Peter Johnson, 77, National Service veteran

“Losing my sight knocked my conﬁdence and left me feeling lonely. I started to stay indoors. But meeting people like me through Blind Veterans UK has changed everything.” Peter still has many precious memories of serving his country through his two years of National Service. Sadly, in 2014, Peter suddenly lost much of his sight to macular degeneration, leaving him a virtual recluse. Until he discovered the free help and support we oﬀer at Blind Veterans UK. Meeting others in the same boat – at local lunch clubs, reunions and at our training centres – has helped Peter feel connected again. He’s made lots of new friends and regularly meets up with people. “They’re like my extended family,” he says. At Blind Veterans UK, we’re here for all visionimpaired veterans, no matter when they served or how they lost their sight.

So if you know someone like Peter, who is struggling with sight loss, give them the best present of all this Christmas just by calling the number below.

If you know a veteran with sight loss, Blind Veterans UK is ready to help. Call free on 0800 389 7979 or visit noonealone.org.uk Registered Charity No. 216227 (England & Wales) and SCO39411 (Scotland)

SUBSCRIBE TODAY DON’T MISS SAGA MAGAZINE

NEXT MONTH

SAVE

50%

Look no further

Treat a friend to Saga Magazine for just £24

For that last-minute gift Do you have a friend who would love Saga Magazine as much as you do? Then why not treat them to a year of Saga Magazine for just £24 – saving 50% on the cover price.

HE ALT H

WE ALT H

WEALTH

TRAVEL

FASHION

HOME

INSPIRATION

DECEMBER 2016 £4

SAGA.CO.UK/MAGAZINE

50+ GRE AT GIFT IDE AS INSIDE

’Tis the season for... WISDOM

REV RICHARD COLES

HUMOUR

BILL BAILEY

KINDNESS

ESTHER RANTZEN

SPIRIT

RUBY WAX

GETTY

Tim Vine is

C R AC K E R S

...and proud! Read his gags to make Christmas go with a bang

FAS HIO N

HO ME

INS PIR AT ION

50+

T H E G R E AT C E L E B R I T Y B U C K E T L I ST

GR E AT GIF T IDE AS INS IDE

’Tis the season for... WIS DOM

REV RIC HAR D COL ES

HU MO UR

BILL BAI LEY

KIN DN ESS

EST HER RAN TZE N

SPI RIT

RUBY WA X

HEALTH

TR AV EL

12 FA N TA ST I C D E ST I N AT I O N S F O R 201 7

Tim Vine is

CKERS C RtoAsubscribe 2 easy ways saga.co.uk/subs enter X1216 0800 056 5086 quote X1216 Lines are open Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm. UK subscriptions only.

R E A L- L I F E M A R I G O L D H OT E L E X P E R I E N C E S

PLUS Your year-ahead health planner

Downshifting with a difference

New Year super-healthy smoothies The good snowdrop guide

Fabulous fashion trends for men 2016

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

12 3

TAKE AWAY Puzzles

Prize Crossword

WIN! £100

Every month you could win £100 in our general knowledge crossword: scan your entry, put Prize Crossword (Dec) in the email subject line and send it, together with your name and address, to editor@saga.co.uk 1

CLUES AC R O S S 1 Another name for the green woodpecker (6) 5 Wine region that includes Edelzwicker and Pinot Gris (6) 10 Author of the 1722 novel Moll Flanders (5) 11 Part played by Ray Bolger in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz (9) 12 Name of 13 popes, the last of whom died in 1724 (8) 13 Picturesque city and lake south of Geneva (6) 15 Bird that has the Latin name Corvus frugilegus (4) 16 American director of the 2013 film Blue Jasmine (5,5) 18 Contagious disease that may result in a swollen neck (10) 20 1980s pop duo comprising George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley (4) 23 Lord, follower of Alonso, in The Tempest (6) 24 Herbal plant helpful in treating restless leg syndrome (8) 26 Latin name of the tobacco plant (9) 27 Good‑quality black tea made from young leaves (5) 28 Brand‑name laundry detergent first launched in Germany in 1907 (6) 29 Medical term for the armpit (6)

124

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

D OW N 2 Name of the King of Spain forced to abdicate in 1931 (7) 3 Nationality of the tennis player Amélie Mauresmo (6) 4 US president at the time of the U‑2 spy plane incident (10) 5 Dutch football team for which Johan Cruyff played (4) 6 American‑German piano company founded in 1853 (8) 7 Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York State (7) 8 Actor who starred as Einar/Lili in the 2015 film The Danish Girl (5,8) 9 Popular Christmas carol first published with lyrics in the 1880s (4,2,1,6) 14 Ethiopia’s largest city (5,5) 17 Fictional island first mentioned in Plato’s Timaeus (8) 19 German manufacturer of the Boxster and the 911 (7) 21 Maker of the Kabine bubble car, first produced in 1956 (7) 22 Ancient Greek site that includes the Sanctuary of Apollo (6) 25 Surname of the author of James and the Giant Peach (4)

2016

13 14

16 17

22 23

24 25

TO E N T E R BY P O ST Cut out the crossword (no photocopies) and send it with your name and address attached to: £100 General Knowledge Crossword (Dec), Saga Magazine, Enbrook Park, Folkestone, Kent CT20 3SE. C LO S I N G DAT E December 30, 2016

S U D O K U Solution overleaf 2

8 4

5 3 7

4 8

1 7

4 1 8 6 3 7 9 2 5 7 8

6 3

9 5

Transform your conservatory into a room you can enjoy this winter...

with a custom made Wetheralds tiled roof Enjoy a stylish new room this winter (and next summer) and save on bills too. Let our team manage the complete build from start to ﬁnish including building regulations, so that you can sit back and enjoy the view. Why choose a Wetheralds solid roof? We employ skilled tradesmen We operate nationwide A custom insulated roof ensures a perfect ﬁt

“Wetheralds came highly recommended and exceeded my expectations” Mrs Haake, Essex

Visit one of our show homes and hear what our customers say, call now or visit our website www.wetheralds-roofsystems.co.uk for more information

Registered Details

0800 612 8638

Call 0116 242 5533 FREEPHONE 0800 103 2708

10* Call us FREE on 0800 103 2708 Quote discount code SAGDEC16

SAGDEC16

TAKE AWAY Puzzles

CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

WIN! £100

Every month you could win £100 with our challenging cryptic crossword. Scan your entry, put Cryptic Crossword (Dec) in the email subject line and send it, together with your name and address, to editor@saga.co.uk

D OW N Sail to the west, where abroad’s elegant (5) 2 Not quite overdue – travelled on time to Barking (7) 3 Bumpkin is dull-witted, no leader (4) 4 Fuss cutting parsley, say (6) 5 Childish reason for a triangular relationship (3) 6 Italian wine store empty? (5) 11 Ireland certainly produces vengeful women (7) 12 Where Parisiennes may learn about hard fruit? (6) 13 Namely, how to shift abandoned vehicle (2,3) 15 A bird found on South Pacific island group (5) 16 Dry river – save its environment (4) 18 Execute successful snooker shot with backspin (3)

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

2016

F U L LME T A L J ACK E T V S D I A U I CU L L OD E N MAR I NA L O O T E T D F A TWA T ROS S ACH S R A E J I O S P E Y D I EGO NOV A I R Y E I N X S I ON I C T ON Y O M A I E H S T B E RNARD S E CCO N T M V F M H MONACO A L L OA L L O I N L N A L O GR E A T E RAN T I L L E S October’s winner Alan Whitham, Sheffield O C TO B E R ’S C RY P T I C C R O S S WO R D

TO E N T E R BY P O ST Cut out the crossword (no photocopies) and send it with your name and address attached to: Cryptic Crossword (Dec), Saga Magazine, Enbrook Park, Folkestone, Kent CT20 3SE. C LO S I N G DAT E Dec 30, 2016

126

O C TO B E R ’S £10 0 P R I Z E C R O S S WO R D

October’s winner Susanne Milward, Old Windsor, Berkshire

T H I S MO N T H ’S S U D O K U

7 8 4 3 5 1 6 2 9

3 1 9 7 2 6 4 8 5

2 6 5 8 4 9 3 1 7

5 2 3 6 1 7 9 4 8

8 7 6 5 9 4 2 3 1

4 9 1 2 8 3 5 7 6

1 5 7 4 6 2 8 9 3

6 3 2 9 7 8 1 5 4

9 4 8 1 3 5 7 6 2

CRYPTIC CROSSWORD COMPILED USING CHAMBERS DICTIONARY

AC R O S S Shakespearean wind-up! (5) Old measures in the bill? (5) Be outstanding, so to speak (3) Dreaded stage in card game – time to replace Bridge seat (7) 9 Given a superior position in the job of poison supplier (4) 10 Old-fashioned advice has you making cheap whiskey (3-3) 13 Moving stealthily, Lila goes off to moon (6) 14 Extreme examples of generosity? (4) 17 Greeting commonly heard from sentinel (7) 19 Tuber recedes in late spring (3) 20 Hollow pole introduced to support tent (5) 21 Scientist annihilates laboratory centre (5) 1 4 7 8

MO R E P U ZZ L E S Visit saga.co.uk/ mag-puzzles for more brainteasers online

Answers

E BUT ANYON R O F L RFU WONDE

E -A- D AY

£7.99

R ITH O F T C PERFEPEOPLE W

1 5 DAY S

. S D I K D N A GR

ORDER NOW Call us: 01628 779 460 Visit: www.comvita.co.uk Post the form: Comvita UK Limited, Box 220 5 High Street, Maidenhead, SL6 1JN

Perfect for any room in the house, the solid oak Switch sofa bed is an ideal fit for virtually anywhere. But it really comes into it’s own when people come to stay, especially small people and dogs. Coupled with the supremely luxurious deep-filled Fibresprung futon, you may even get more of a lie in yourself.

£599 NOW ONLY £429 futoncompany.co.uk experts in small space living

Name Address Town Email Tel No Product Olive Leaf Extract 15 caps FREE Olive Leaf Extract book FREE Product Catalogue Delivery (FREE above £20 order value)

Postcode Price 7.99 FREE FREE 4.40

QTY

Sum

TOTAL I enclose cheque for £ ————.—— or charge my card ———— ———— ———— ———— Expiry date ——/—— Security code ——— We might be posting offers and information to you via mail. If you do NOT wish to receive this mail, please tick here. This service is available to UK Mainland customers only. Delivery will be made by DPD within 7 working days. The book, catalogue and invoice will arrive separately via mail. No personal details will be passed on to 3rd parties other that necessary to fulfil this order. No card details will be stored. You may cancel your order via phone within 14 days. Sealed goods in original packaging must be returned to our address at buyers cost.

Every one of our retirement homes comes with a 40 acre garden. And a team of gardeners. Remember Flower Power? It’s alive and well in the gardens at Inchmarlo. You can enjoy the handiwork of our green-fingered workers everywhere (they do the spadework so you don’t have to). Homes range from one-bedroom apartments to four-bedroom houses, all designed for secure retirement living. To find out more about life at Inchmarlo Retirement Village call +44 (0) 1330 826242 or email sales@inchmarlo-retirement.co.uk

RETIREMENT VILLAGE

Where Gracious Living Comes naturally

Choose from 300 meals & desserts from ÂŁ2.75

0333 433 0420 or visit oakhousefoods.co.uk

EN F

HNE

SAGA

For your FREE brochure call

Quality, home delivered ready d meals

R O

Great food, no fuss

Call for your free brochure today

READER OFFERS

S AV E

25%

ON ANY MEMBERSHIP FEES NEVER TRIED

online dating? HURRY! LIMITE D STOCK AVA I L A B LE

2017

Gardeners’ Calendar Your calendar features 12 beautiful botanical pictures and is packed with helpful hints and tips for keeping your garden gorgeous all year long.

PLUS

Every page has an exclusive £5 discount voucher for the Saga Garden Centre. To make sure you don’t miss out, order your calendar today for just £5.99 including free p&p. TO O R D E R YO U R 2017 G A R D E N E R S’ C A L E N DA R

0800 302 9805

and quote the code C1216 TERMS AND CONDITIONS

This offer is limited to the first 800 orders, while stocks last. UK addresses only.

Here’s how it all works... You could be just a click away from a happier New Year 1 Go to sagadating.co.uk,

complete a short form, and choose a password and name to use online. 2 Fill in some fun ‘tick boxes’ to describe yourself and the kind of person you’re hoping to meet. 3 Add a photo if you like, and save. 4 Log in and click on ‘my matches’ – a list of compatible people will be chosen for you, automatically. 5 If you’re intrigued by someone, you can notify them of your interest, and vice versa. No one at this stage will know your real name. 6 You can read messages free, but to reply or send messages you must become a Saga Dating subscriber, which costs from £10.50 per month. E XC LU S I V E R E A D E R O F F E R

Join Saga Dating this month and SAVE 25% on any membership fees* Go to sagadating.co.uk/ XMAS16, add your details, upload a photo if you like and your discount will be applied straightaway. *Prices vary depending on type of membership. Offer ends Dec 31, 2016. New members only. Terms and conditions apply. See website for additional information

2016

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

129

B I L L B A I L E Y ’S R E M A R K A B L E

Guide to happiness within. And also, I noticed a slight sense of ‘Wasn’t that whatsisname..?’ ‘Can’t tell. His face is too squishy’.

am poised atop a ridge on a mountain-bike trail deep in a pine forest, inhaling lungfuls of the scented air. My heart is pumping and my legs are complaining from the steep climb. I am grateful for the full suspension and hydraulic brakes on this missile of a bike, plus I will never tire of the remote saddle-dropper button on the handlebars. As I push off, I glimpse a deer crossing the path ahead. Ah! To be amongst Nature! The sensation of speed, of freedom! This is what cycling is about… As I trundle down the trail, I let out an involuntary whoop.

I WA S O N C E SMEARED DOWN THE SIDE OF A B L ACK C A B AT H Y D E PA R K CORNER

Much as I love cycling, I rarely whoop involuntarily on a bike in central London. I have, though, waited at traffic lights amidst a scowling peloton of angry Lycra. I have smiled and mumbled pleasantries, only to be met with silence, and looks of incomprehension and often pity. There’s not much camaraderie, just testosteronefuelled competitiveness, coupled with a strong survival instinct, which is essential. I was once smeared down the side of a black cab at Hyde Park Corner. My hands and startled face became pliant in contact with the window glass, causing great alarm to the commuters

T E L L U S YO U R IDEA OF H A P P I N E S S at facebook.com/saga

13 0

S AG A .C O.U K / D E C-M AG

2016

Compare this with the friendlier biking of Amsterdam, where no one wears a helmet. No high-vis, no special gear… just ordinary folk barrelling along on old-fashioned bikes, often smiling as they trrrring their bells and look happy in their resolutely Dutch way. According to British Cycling, the sport’s governing body in the UK, more than two million people cycle at least once a week. There have never been this many people cycling in Britain. Sales of bikes are at an all-time high. Inner-city cycle lanes are getting the Daily Mail in a tizzy. ‘Stop this Cycle Lane Madness’ it says. ‘Don’t Let the EU/ISIS/Ruin our Cities/House Prices’ or variant thereof. This renaissance in British cycling is a remarkable turnaround since the 1960s when sales of bikes were actually falling. City planners back then were not keen on factoring in cycle lanes, which has led to this awkward retro-fitting that we see now. I never feel entirely safe on a road between some painted lines saying ‘cycle lane’, much as I wouldn’t feel entirely safe swimming between floating

markers in Cape Cod that said ‘shark-free lane’. Compare this with the more enlightened planners of Denmark and Holland, who have never fallen out of love with bikes. In Copenhagen, there are dedicated raised cycle lanes through the city, with free pastry stops (ok, maybe not that). In Holland, on my recent tour there, a heavily tattooed and multiple-pierced roadie told me, ‘We grew up on bikes’. And to look at him, you’d think he meant Harleys not 1950s pushbikes with green plastic muffin crates bungee-strapped to the handelbars. One of the few times I’ve enjoyed city cycling is on New Year’s Eve when a large part of central London is closed to traffic. If I’m performing in town, it’s actually the best way to get home. It’s marvellous to cycle under the Christmas lights, free of traffic. Just the sound of footfall and the muted progress of folk bundled up in winter coats. The burble of excited conversation. A rare glimpse of what cities can be, and all the better for gliding through it on two wheels. Weaving my way through the happy revellers, cycling up Regent Street, on the wrong side of the road, I laugh, and whoop involuntarily.

Making sitting & rising easier since 1968

Your chair, designed to ﬁt you Order now f��

GUARANTEED PRE-CHRISTMAS Delivery wi�h

£500 OFF*

UP TO

sim

it p ly c le a n s w

Recliners & Riser Recliners available

Reclining

Rising

Available in 3 sizes

Petite, Standard and Grande Hampton Legged Chair shown in Aqua Clean Arcade Lavender

Friendly, expert advice, in-store or at home Come and try for yourself at one of our 58 local stores – or arrange a free home consultation if you would prefer to shop from the comfort of your own home. To book your free home consultation, simply call 01924 486900, or email home@hslchairs.com

Request your FREE fabric card & catalogue today! Your pack includes 57 real fabric and 12 real leather samples, as well as our full range of chairs

Call 01924 507050 quoting G319 or visit www.hslchairs.com Calls answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

your chair specialists

L L 18 12 16

SAVE up to

Present this voucher to HSL at time of purchase and claim £100 off up to 5 items, saving up to £500

Cannot be used in conjunction with any discounted or special offer products. Purchase must be over £500 in total. One voucher per purchase.

UP TO £500 VOUCHER CODE

G319