Simply Brightlingsea Issue 72

Build A Bird Feeder

With the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) Great Garden Birdwatch fast approaching why not help our feathered friends this festive season by building this simple bird feeder to keep them fed during the colder months? Not only does it help our feathered friends, it’s also great way to get your children interested in nature.

In 2023 the RSPB Great Garden Birdwatch - which is a fun, free family event designed to take a count of the bird population to see how well they are doing - is taking place from Friday 27 to Sunday 29 January, and by making this bird feeder you’ll soon have an abundance of avians in your garden. Also, don’t worry if you

haven’t got a garden as you can make this bird feeder stick to your window.

To make the bird feeder all you’ll need is pine cones, lard or peanut butter, a spreading knife or spoon, bird seed and some string.

This low-cost simple feeder will help attract a range of birds to your garden, from blackbirds to blue tits to greenfinches and many more.

1. Begin by taking a stroll around your local country park, green space or garden and collect any pine cones that you can find (remember each pine cone will become one bird feeder). If you can’t find any pine cones you can substitute them for bread or half a coconut.

2. Take the pine cone(s) you’ve found and your spoon, or spreading knife, and slather the lard or peanut butter onto the pine cone.

3. Take your bird seed – which can be bought at any pet store or garden centre – and roll your lard or peanut butter covered pine cone(s) in the seed. To keep it mess free, it’s easier to pour the bird seed onto a plate and then roll the pine cone around.

4.Make sure the seeds stick to the pine cone. Then take your string and tie it to the top of the pine cone. Remember, the more open the pine cone the easier it is to attach the string.

5. Finally take your pine cone(s) and tie them to a sturdy branch and wait for all our feathered friends to flock to your garden for a gourmet feast.

If you haven’t got access to a sturdy branch or tree, you can attach the string to a suction cupper and hang it on your window.

Depending on how successful your bird feeder becomes with our feathered friends, you could also build them a home with this nesting box. Remember, when it comes to bird boxes, the birds don’t mind how good your carpentry skills are or what the box looks like - they just want somewhere safe and warm to shelter.

When it comes to nesting season, the bird box could become the perfect place to keep hatchlings and nestlings safe, warm and away from predators. Bird boxes also help to keep the hatchlings out of direct sunlight and the wind.

The Midwife of Auschwitz

by Anna Stuart

Ana Kaminski is a midwife who is taken to Auschwitz with her young friend Ester Pasternak. As they pass through the iron gates and reach the front of the processing line, Ana steps forward and quietly declares her profession, saying Ester is her assistant. Their arms are tattooed, and they’re ordered to the maternity hut. There Ana vows to do

A Good Read

everything she can to save the lives of mothers and their infants.

But she soon learns that the SS snatch the blond-haired babies from their mothers to place with German families. In spite of her horror Ana realises that for these children there is at least the hope of survival. With rumours of the war ending Ana and Ester begin to secretly tattoo the newborns with their mother’s numbers, praying one day they might be reunited.

The novel is fiction, but it's based on a true story and many of the characters are based on real people at Birkenau (the largest camp in the Auschwitz complex). Ana is a Catholic, Ester is Jewish and Ana was the midwife who delivered her. Ana's family were part of the Resistance helping Jewish people escape the Nazi enforced Ghetto until Ana was arrested along with two of her sons. Her husband and other son were not home at the time, so Ana does not know what happened to them at the time she arrives in Auschwitz. She and Ester cling to their friendship and each other through the horror and evil around them. When Liberation

The food of Love

Yui cheerfully imparted the ‘fun fact’ that at least 12000 people a year in the UK develop food poisoning after consuming oysters, which kind of put me off a bit.

comes will they find a way to get home together? And what awaits them there?

The voice of women is often absent from history, even quite recent history. Anna Stuart's sensitive, beautiful novel showcases one woman's incredible story which is a tribute to those who suffered at the hands of the Nazis.

The Girl of Ink and Stars

by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

Isabella Riosse (Isa) is a teen trapped on the island of Joya, a land full of myths; forbidden to travel further than the forest that flanks her village by the Governor, and all the while dreaming of the faraway lands her cartographer father once mapped.

When a string of unsettling events and the disappearance of her closest friend Lupa make it necessary to journey beyond the forest in search of answers, Isa joins a team of explorers on an adventure that will test her map-making skills and her courage.

As she follows her map, her heart and an ancient myth, Isa discovers the true purpose of her quest: to save the island itself.

magical world. The author draws on mythology and folklore and blends these with themes of friendship, adventure and courage. As a bonus the text is enhanced with beautiful illustrations and maps.

The Girl of Ink and Stars is officially a children’s novel but I suspect there are many adults who will also enjoy this richly drawn world and its characters.

By Tash Donovan

Word Search

Answers on page 8

The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach right? So I decided to cook up some culinary love magic for my boyfriend this Valentine’s day, but what to choose?

He loves Japanese food so I consulted my Japanese food-loving friend Yui. She informed me that in Japan the puffer fish is considered to be a great delicacy and an aphrodisiac, but the kicker is that it contains a poisonous gland so deadly it must be removed before eating! One mistake by the carefully trained chef and the food of love can become quite literally, a matter of life or death!

I thought a safer seafood option might be the oyster. A favourite with the Romans some oysters are able to change sex repeatedly and so are said to give you the ability to experience the male and female sides of love.

What about asparagus? The high levels of vitamin E are supposed to increase blood and oxygen flow to the genitals. It’s also full of potassium — which is linked to sex hormone production, and as a bonus it even has a somewhat phallic shape. Asparagus and hollandaise sauce was a winner surely. Yui (who I suspect does not care much for Valentine’s Day) tilted her head to one side. “You do know that the asparagusic acid in asparagus, breaks down into sulphur compounds, which make your urine smell revolting?’ Uh-oh, she was right.

In the end I settled on making chocolate mousse. Dark chocolate contains both a relaxing sedative that lowers inhibitions plus a stimulant to perk you up. My boyfriend is a chocoholic so I’m backing a winner and better still Yui didn’t point out any pitfalls…because I didn’t tell her what I was making!

Happy Valentine's Day.

By Lucy Perkins

A Brief History of the Potato Crisp

husband-and-wife team at the forefront, running their small business out of a West London garage

My teenage son wandered into the kitchen and opened a bag of crisps. H sniffed the contents appreciatively. ‘Mmm…I wonder who invented crisps…’ he said before popping one into his mouth and proffering the bag in my direction.

Good question I thought.

The first reference I could find to something resembling the modern crisp was in a recipe book, The Cook’s Oracle, by William Kitchiner, which was published 1817. Recipe 104 is titled “Potatoes fried in Slices or Shavings”. The author advises that they are, ‘…sprinkled with a very little salt.’ Kitchiner’s book was popular and sold well on both sides of the Atlantic. His sliced, fried potato recipe was referenced in many other recipe books and Kitchiner was something of a celebrity chef in his lifetime. He was also an optician, and an amateur musician! A man of many talents.

In 1910 Mr. and Mrs. Mikesell were running a small business in Dayton, Ohio, selling dried beef and sausages. They acquired some equipment for making potato crisps (called chips in the US) and the Mikesell's Potato Chip Company was born. They still claim to be the oldest commercial potato crisp (chip) company on record.

It took a decade for the idea of crisps to reach the UK, and again it was

>>>

Frank Smith and his wife cut, fried and package potatoes which they sold in the Cricklewood Crown pub next door, in greaseproof paper bags. Initially he provided salt shakers for the patrons to season their crisps but they were always being stolen, so Frank came up with the idea of providing a small blue sachet of salt instead, and invented Salt and Shake crisps. The crunchy salty snack proved a big hit, and the Smiths were so successful that in 1927, Frank was able to set up a factory in Brentford's Golden mile, and expand the business.

Salt was the only seasoning available until Joe ‘Spud’ Murphy came along. He owned the Irish crisps company Tayto, and in the 1950s, his team developed the technology to add seasoning during manufacture. The very first commercial flavour was Cheese & Onion, launched in 1954. Companies worldwide quickly sought to buy the rights to Tayto’s technique and a few years later Salt & Vinegar crisps became available. Today in spite of the hundreds of flavours available, Ready Salted, Cheese and Onion and Salt and Vinegar are still the most popular flavours. In the US the first flavoured crisps to emerge were barbecue flavour, and no other flavours were available until the 1970s.

Today in the UK crisps are one of our most popular and well-loved savoury snacks, and approximately 140 000 tonnes of crisps are sold each year.

Happy munching!

By Sarah Davey

Down

2 Oaty chocolate biscuit (6)

3 Clothes, garments (6)

4 Could be pork, apple or steak! (3)

5 Loathes (5)

6 Alike (7)

7 Could be citric, hydrochloric or sulphuric! (4)

8 Deadly (6)

12 _____ Wogan, radio presenter (5)

13 Adult female (5)

14 Journey, itinerary (5)

15 Hedgehog, hero of a video game (5)

16 Destructive insects or small animals (5)

18 Mask, disguise (5)

19 Ploy, ruse (7)

21 Far away (6)

22 Change, alter (6)

23 Group of seven things (6)

25 Beelzebub (5)

26 Blunt-ended sword used for fencing (4)

28 Outer edge (3)

Happily Ever After Keep a long term relationship fresh

Who doesn’t know that it’s Valentine’s Day this month? Valentine’s is marketed as being all about attracting and impressing the partner of our dreams right? But what happens afterwards…how do we preserve the magic (or at least some of it) long term?

Well, researchers and counsellors have some good (and sometimes surprising) research-backed tips and tricks.

Double-dating – Friendship with other couples is good for your relationship. A study conducted at the University of Maryland found that couples who have couple friends, rated their marriages as more exciting and fulfilling. Researchers theorised that it gave each couple the chance to observe the way other couples interact and negotiate differences within the relationship.

Assume the best - According to psychologists, couples who rate their marriages as happy tend to assume their partners intentions are good, even when they are disagreeing. By giving their partner this benefit of the doubt they are able to seek clarification, learn about their real motives, and move forward.

Argue in a healthy wayCounsellors at Northwestern University and Adler University in Chicago found that an important marker of a healthy relationship is the ability to argue well and resolve conflicts. Being able to work through life challenges is an important skill and one which strengthens a relationship bond.

In order to ‘fight fair’ keep any dispute focused on the topic at hand and don’t descend into personal attacks. Topicrelated fights fade quickly and pass, whereas people remember personal attacks and insults, and the hurt can remain for a long time

puzzle solutions:

In the Market for a New phone?

Text your way to happiness –An affectionate text is a way to stay connected while apart and can provide a little boost of the happy hormone dopamine to your partner. But, remember never apologise in a text message…always do that in person.

Don’t prioritize material thingsA study carried out at Brigham Young University in Utah found that higher levels of materialism are associated with less relationship satisfaction. The researchers’ discovered that materialistic partners may be seeking happiness in possessions, rather than people, meaning they end up investing less time and energy into making their relationships successful. Make your relationship the priority – There are so many things in the modern world competing for our attention that it’s important to set aside time for our closest relationship, and to guard that time well. Schedule dates, even if it’s just time for a glass of wine and a chat after the kids are in bed. Discuss an activity you’d both like to try, whether it’s learning how to play chess, or salsa dancing, and then turn that into a date event. Doing new things together will give you more to talk about.

‘All You Need is Love,’ proclaims the Beatles song, though it would be more accurate if they’d added, ‘Plus communication, respect and kindness, from both parties too!’ though that would probably be a bit of a mouthful to sing!

By Louise Addison

Replacing your mobile phone can be a very expensive process. With the latest iPhones and Android devices selling for over £1000 or £50 per month on contract this is a big outlay. But for every new phone that is bought an older model appears on the secondhand market. If you’re happy to use a phone that’s one or two years old you can make some amazing savings while still getting an excellent phone. But there are some pitfalls you need to avoid.

For total peace of mind use an official reseller. Apple has an official refurbished shop where you can pick up older iPhone models that have been tested and guaranteed by Apple themselves. Similarly there are a number of reputable companies that refurbish other makes of phones. You’ll pay a slight premium but you know that your phone will work and be in good condition.

eBay is a viable option. Although you won’t be able to handle the phone, a good seller will offer lots of photos highlighting any issues with the device. If you use PayPal to buy the phone you will get automatic cover

from your PayPal account in case the phone you receive doesn’t match the description stated by the seller. This includes the phone not working, being locked or being damaged.

A locked device is the major pitfall to watch out for when buying secondhand. When you buy a new phone you register it against either your Apple or Google account. The phone then becomes locked to that account. So make sure the device you are buying is fully unlocked and wiped clean. If it isn’t this is usually a sign that the phone has been stolen. Phones can also be locked to a mobile phone company so again make sure that this lock has been removed.

After this it’s really down to looking at the condition of the device, especially the screen, buttons, battery and charging port. If any of these are damaged you are best to walk away.

Unless you are the type who HAS to have the latest model, buying secondhand should probably be your first move.

By Tom Hancock

Raspberry Tartlets Indulge yourself with these exquisite mini desserts

Preparation time: 1-2 hours

Cooking time: 10 - 30 minutes

Serves: 8

Ingredients - Pastry

175g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

2 tbsp icing sugar

100g butter, chilled, cut into small pieces

1 egg, beaten

Crème Pâtissière

150ml whole milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

25g caster sugar

25g plain flour

1 free-range egg

75ml double cream

Raspberry Topping

4 tbsp raspberry jam

450g raspberries

You will need 8 small 10cm loosebottomed metal tart tins and some baking beans.

Method

Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/ Gas 6.

To make the pastry, rub the flour, icing sugar and butter together until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Or place the flour, icing sugar and butter in a food processor and pulse. Then add the egg and combine until the mixture forms a ball.

Place the dough on to a floured surface. Roll it out with a rolling pin. Cut eight rounds big enough to line the base and sides of the tins. Chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.

To bake blind, prick the pastry bases, line the tins with baking parchment, fill with baking beans and bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the beans and paper and return the bases to the oven for 5 minutes, until cooked and a pale golden-brown. Leave to cool.

To make the crème pâtissière, place the milk and vanilla in a saucepan. Heat until the milk it is just scalded (just on the point of boiling).

Place the sugar, flour and egg in a mixing bowl and whisk. Pour in half the hot milk and whisk until smooth. Pour in the remaining hot milk. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook over a low heat, stirring all the time, until the custard becomes very thick.

Pour into a bowl, allow to cool then cover with cling film and chill

in the fridge until cold. Once cold, pour in the double cream, whisking constantly. Spoon this crème pâtissière into the tart cases and return to the fridge to chill.

To make the glaze, heat the jam in a saucepan with a tablespoon of water and whisk to combine. Strain the liquid through a sieve into a small bowl.

Arrange the raspberries to stand upright on the crème pâtissière then brush the warm glaze over the top.

Garden ViewThis month - A passion for peaches

very early, around February, when the UK can still suffer sharp frosts in the mornings; they also develop fungal diseases if the weather is too cold and damp and finally, our short summers generally don’t give enough time for the fruits to ripen. But if you have that south-facing wall or conservatory and would like to have a go at growing peaches (and who wouldn’t?) read on.

When we rented a house in the South of France one summer, there was a peach tree in the garden and the owner invited us to help ourselves. We have never eaten so many sweet, ripe peaches. Nothing in the supermarkets here has ever compared to those fat globes of nectar.

A few years ago, I discovered that it was possible to grow peaches in this country too, with a few caveats. In the far South it’s possible to grow them against a south, or south-west-facing wall. Further up the country we need the help of a conservatory or a large greenhouse. The reasons for this are threefold: peach trees tend to flower

‘Peregrine’ is a white-fleshed peach quite well-suited to the English climate (the above warnings notwithstanding) though generally best grown under cover. ‘Rochester’ is a very reliable yellow variety that gives good harvests of large fruits in August. It also has the advantage of being a late bloomer, making it less susceptible to frost damage. If space is limited, which it often is in a conservatory, choose a plant grafted on to dwarf rootstock. Peaches are best grown as a fan. Fasten horizontal wires to the wall at 30cm intervals to allow the stems to be tied in and spaced out evenly. The plant should be positioned about 25cm from the wall with branches sloped towards it,

and if planted directly into the soil, this should be enriched with wellrotted manure or compost. If planted into a pot, make it as large and deep as the space will allow. When the flowers appear, cover the plant with a light fleece at night to protect the blossom. Because of the lack of natural pollinators early in the year you can help things a long by using a long dry paintbrush to dust pollen from one flower to another. Then water the plant regularly and feed with tomato food through the summer to keep it healthy. Prune any branches that grow out away from the wall, and also remove any that overcrowd the framework. Cut some old and fruited lateral shoots out each year to allow new ones to take their place.

It might take a couple of years but with a little care and attention and a smidge of luck you will be able to reap the reward of harvesting your own peaches. There are few activities quite as delightful! Happy gardening.

By Rachael Leverton

National Sickie DayTake care of your mental health

The first Monday of February is statistically the day that workers are most likely to call in sick, which is why it has been dubbed National Sickie Day!

Having a cold or flu are the most common excuses used for taking a day off work, but almost half of the people who take the day are actually stressed, anxious, or depressed. Physical illness is a more socially acceptable reason for taking the day off, so most people use this as their excuse, instead of telling their boss the truth.

A mental health day should be an acceptable reason to take a day off because one day of sick leave on mental health grounds might help to stop pressures building into something worse, necessitating more sick days later in the year.

Taking a mental health day is not about shirking or taking liberties, it’s about taking control and minimising the risk of physical illness that can be triggered by unmet mental health needs.

We don’t hesitate to take a day off to rest and recover from physical illnesses such as the flu, yet we don’t feel its right to take time off for mental illness. Physical health and mental health are equally important in the workplace and a good employer will ensure line managers are trained to be able spot signs that their staff might be struggling.

Once a problem has been identified it is important that employees are able to discuss the issue without fear of discrimination, and that employers are able to offer the right support

and opportunities for self-care. This may be as simple as being flexible with working hours or encouraging employees to take their full lunch break away from their desk, or as complex as providing in house

Crosswords

counselling. Recognising that mental problems are often invisible and that employees may need support is a great start.

By Gemma Peters

A Healthy Heart

It’s that time of year when we think about who sets our heart a flutter, or who we will give our heart to. There are heart-covered cards in the shops, and heart-shaped boxes of chocolates. The heart is centre stage on February 14th. But to misquote a popular saying, ‘a heart is for life, not just for Valentine’s Day!’

Your heart works hard. It’s essential to pump nutrient and oxygen-rich blood to your whole body, as well as carry metabolic waste products away.

Most people think heart disease only affects older people but this isn’t true.

The way you live in while you’re young impacts your heart health in later life. Plaque can begin accumulating in your arteries in your teens and twenties. It comprises of fatty deposits, made up of waste products produced by the body’s cells. If plaque goes unchecked it can thicken the blood vessel walls, clog arteries and take a toll on your heart.

It’s commonly thought at heart disease is primarily a problem which affects men, but it’s also the second leading cause of death for women (after Alzheimer’s) in the U.K.,

and about two in ten of the deaths caused by coronary artery disease occur in adults, whether male and female, who are under 65 years old. This means that whatever sex you are, making heart-healthy choices when you’re young will reduce your risk of heart disease as you age.

Ways to reduce the risk of heart disease include:

• Eating a healthy diet

• Regular exercise

• Maintaining a healthy weight

• Avoiding smoking (or giving up)

• Avoiding excess alcohol

• Managing stress levels

It’s also important to keep up with regular wellness examinations including monitoring blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Most pharmacists can carry out these checks.

One myth about heart disease is that all fat is bad for you, but while certain types of fats like saturated and trans fats are linked to heart disease, other types of fats can actually lower your risk of problems.

Hence you should include some unsaturated fats in your diet, as they

are beneficial in lowering cholesterol levels. Unsaturated fats are found in fresh nuts, olive oil, and low-fat dairy products, as fish rich in omega-3 fatty acid-rich, such as salmon.

Genes also play a role when it comes to heart health. It’s true that some people will always be more at risk of heart disease because of genes they’ve inherited from their parents. But just because you have a genetic predisposition to heart disease does not mean that its inevitable you will succumb. However, if you engage in harmful behaviours, such as smoking, excessive drinking avoiding exercise, and eating an unhealthy diet, you will definitely put yourself more at risk. Poor lifestyle choices can increase your cholesterol levels, cause high blood pressure, and even result in type 2 diabetes. All of these have the potential to increase your risk for contracting heart disease, so if you know you have genetic risk factors, it’s even more important to maintain a healthy weight, keep your blood pressure under control, and stay active.

This Valentine’s Day, ask yourself if whoever you choose to give your heart to, will be getting a healthy one!

By Jamie Maxfield

Sudoku

How to play Sudoku

Fill in the grid so that each row, column and 3x3 box, contains the numbers 1 through to 9 with no repetition.

You don’t need to be a genius. These puzzles use logic alone. Watch out! Sudoku is highly addictive.

DR SAMIR B PATEL • DR JAMIE NIGHTINGALE DR BHAVINI MUIR • DR THAMARA GUNASEKERA

40 STATION ROAD •BRIGHTLINGSEA •COLCHESTER •ESSEX •CO7 0DT

Tel: (01206) 302522 •Email: colne.medicalcentref81116@nhs.net www.colnemedicalcentre.nhs.uk • facebook.com/Colnemedical

Colorectal Cancer Awareness

March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) estimates that in 2020 colorectal cancer was the third most commonly diagnosed cancer type in the world with almost 2 million new cases.

You can reduce your risk of developing colorectal cancer by adopting healthier lifestyle habits. Recognised risk factors for colorectal cancer include obesity, low levels of physical activity, a poor diet and tobacco smoking. Alcohol consumption is also a known risk factor.

Increasing intake of fruit and vegetables and reducing intake of red and processed meat can reduce risk of colorectal cancer. Similarly, introducing more physical activity into your daily routine, quitting smoking, and reducing alcohol consumption can also reduce your risk of developing this disease as well as many others.

Symptoms of colorectal cancer include:

- A persistent change in your bowel habits such as diarrhoea or constipation or a change in the consistency of your stool.

- Rectal bleeding or blood in stool.

- Persistent abdominal discomfort such as cramps, gas, or pain.

- A feeling that your bowel doesn’t empty completely.

- Weakness or fatigue.

If you notice any persistent symptoms that worry you, please contact your GP.

Staffing

The practice is pleased to welcome Dr Sabeen Ahmed and Dr Syeda Batool as salaried GPs. Dr Ahmed was previously a registrar at the surgery so patients may already know her. Dr Batool joins us from West Mersea and has taken on Dr Maria Osuji’s list as she is sadly leaving the practice.

We have a new Healthcare Assistant, Tracy Manning, who joined us in October and Student Nurse Chloe Double has completed her training and started as a Practice Nurse with us in January. She will be visiting our housebound patients in the community one day a week to carry out routine health checks.

Katie Pirie Practice Manager

New showrooms now open at Bypass Nurseries, Capel St Mary and Glasswells, Ipswich