Issue 47
New showrooms now open at Bypass Nurseries, Capel St Mary and Glasswells, Ipswich
2
Town Council Update A Good Read 2020 has proved to be a traumatic year for our community, we have faced unprecedented challengers but our strong community spirit has mitigated a Cllr Graham Steady lot of adverse conditions. I would like to place on record the Town Councils gratitude to our local businesses who have continued to provide services for our community, the large numbers of volunteers and support services who have
How to play Sudoku It’s simple! Fill in the grid so that each row, column and 3x3 box, contains the numbers 1 through to 9 with no repetition.
stepped forward to help and care for the vulnerable members of our community. Our towns organisations who fostered a traditional Christmas spirit by adapting activities to abide by government guidelines. We should strengthen our resolve to face 2021 positively and look forward to better times while being thankful for all that our wonderful town has to offer. We are committed, despite the current difficulties ,to continue providing and improving services and facilities ,which include the ongoing refurbishment of the Lido ,regeneration of the town hard and harbour area and improvements to the Bayard Recreation Ground. Best wishes to all for the new year.
teens and adults alike, and the events of 2020 only served to increase its attraction. The Maze Runner was initially published in 2009 but came to prominence with the release of the film adaptation in 2014. Thomas is a teenager who awakes to find himself in a box in a place called the Glade. He has no memory of who he is or how he came to be here, but he is thrown into this new community, and as a reader so are you. Before long you become familiar with the terminology used by the boys and you feel as if you are a Glader along with them. A Good Read The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce Retirement is meant to be relaxing, isn’t it? You do what you love doing and enjoy yourself. But what if you suddenly receive a letter out of the blue? A woman who worked in your office many years ago has cancer and is dying. She just wants you to know. This touches you for reasons you can’t quite explain, so you write her a note to say that you are sorry to hear that. Putting on your coat and your yacht shoes you leave with the note. Your destination? The post box. Just as far as the end of the road.
You don’t need to be a genius. These puzzles use logic alone. Watch out! Sudoku is highly addictive.
And so, starts Harold Fry’s extraordinary journey: 627 miles in 87 days. With no plan, other than to reach Queenie, he sets off on a journey of faith. Scribbling on the note he tells her to wait for him. This debut novel from radio and TV writer, Rachel Joyce, will take you on a gentle journey with Harold and the various people he meets along the way. Totally unprepared for what he will encounter, his faith in positive thinking keeps him going as he learns more about his life and relationships with his wife and son.
As Thomas adjusts to his new environment, he learns about the Maze which surrounds the Glade. Each day the walls open and a select group of runners spend daylight hours exploring and mapping it. It is a race against the clock because at sunset the Grievers – giant robotic creatures – enter the Maze and they are deadly. The walls close to protect the community and overnight the structure of the Maze changers, leaving the runners to start again in the morning. The big mystery is why. Why are Thomas and the other boys there and why do the Grievers come out to get them? Why do the walls in the Maze change and will the runners ever solve it? However, more importantly why has a girl been sent to the Glade and why has all communication with the outside world suddenly stopped? This is the first book in an engaging series which develop the story and characters beyond the original theme.
The Maze Runner by James Dashner Post-apocalyptic and dystopian literature is perennially popular with
Issue 46
To Advertise in Simply Magazine: 01206 233717 For any information or to submit an article or advert contact David Cook: F
C Call: O Out Of Office: EEmail: Head Office: H
01206 233717 07734 171985 SimplyColchester@gmail.com Simply Magazine, 1 George Williams Way, Colchester, Essex CO1 2JS
COPY DEADLINES:
Issue 48: 27/01/21 Issue 49: 27/02/21
Simply Magazine assumes no liability or responsibility for any inaccurate, delayed or incomplete information, nor for any actions taken in reliance thereon. The information contained about each individual, event or organization has been provided by such individual, event organizers or organization without verification by us. The opinion expressed in each article is the opinion of its author and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Simply Magazine. Therefore, Simply Magazine carries no responsibility for the opinion expressed thereon. Any form of reproduction of any content without the written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited. For information on advertising or submitting a article please email David Cook at: Simplycolchester@gmail.com or call 01206 233717 / 07734 171985
3
What’s new at Colchester Zoo!
Colchester Zoo is currently closed due to Lockdown 3.0 until further notice. Despite the gates being closed to visitors our committed Animal Care Team are still working hard to provide the highest level of care that we can give to over 200 species that call Colchester Zoo home. Life continues at the zoo without the vital income from daily visits and with winter also comes increased outgoings due to the additional heating, electricity and food for the animals required. This is why your support is so important during this challenging time and we cannot thank the local community enough for all the help and kind messages we have received so far. Your continued support is vital to help towards the future of Colchester Zoo. Whether you would like to make a small monthly donation or purchase a gift voucher to use when we reopen there are so
4
many ways in which you can help the Zoo. Find out more about how you can help via www.colchesterzoo.org. We miss you here at the zoo, please keep in touch with us as we share news from the zoo and information for reopening on social media – we’re bringing the zoo to you in the safety of your own home! If you’re looking for activities to do as part of your remote learning with the kids check out our ‘Wild activities from Home’ pack on our website! Activities include learning some key vocabulary used in the zoo world, research projects and games! We are so grateful for the support we have already received so far and hope you all stay safe and look after each other during this very difficult time. We hope it won’t be too long before we are able to welcome you back for safe and enjoyable visits.
5
Grants available to help Essex residents self-isolate Essex County Council is providing extra funding to city, districts and boroughs in the county to help people who need to self-isolate to stay at home. Because the new variant of COVID-19 is spreading so fast, it is important that everybody asked to self-isolate does so. The £3 million funding is to ensure that those that must stay at home are given the financial means to do so. The £500 grant per resident will be a one-off payment to cover the 10 day period of self-isolation. Essex residents who test positive for Covid-19 could be entitled to a £500 Test and Trace Support Payment from the Government. However, many residents who have to self-isolate may be ineligible for the Government payment. It is these people this new fund aims to help. People may not qualify for Government support because, for instance, they are on zero hours contracts, self-employed and trading
Dear Diary...
for less than one year or self-employed without access to support because of low trading returns. Cllr John Spence, Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care, said: “Throughout this pandemic we have emphasised the need to test and selfisolate. Now with the picture of rising rates we see this has never been of greater importance. “Essex County Council want to help people to self-isolate without fear that self-isolation will worsen their personal finances. That is why we have secured these funds from the Government.” The funds ECC have been able to access come from the Government’s Contain Outbreak Management Fund (COMF) which is aimed to support city, borough and district councils with their test and trace isolation payments schemes. The funds can be accessed by residents by making an application on the local city, district or borough website.
Can you find all of the words associated with Burns Night? On January 1st, 1660 Samuel Pepys began to write his diary. He had no idea that it would become one of the most important documents for historians studying the English Restoration period, which coincidentally also began in 1660. Pepys’ diaries are special because he recorded every day mundane events. He was also socially well connected because his cousin, Edward Montagu, was a high-ranking naval officer who found a position for Pepys at the Navy Office in the City of London. Pepys was talented and worked hard so was promoted quickly, being invited to important events, all of which he recorded in his meticulous shorthand.
For example, Pepys was aboard one of the ships which sailed to Holland to bring Charles II back to England and he attended the coronation. He recorded everything in his diary, giving vivid accounts of the Great Plague and the Great Fire of London. Through his entries we are also able to relive the theatre of the period, as well as fashion and popular food and drink. His diary has been of invaluable assistance to historians and has given much pleasure to its many readers If you were given a diary this year, or have a desire to start a blog in 2021, what would you want readers in 2391 (360 years in the future) to know? What would they find interesting, or odd? Would they want to know about our own Great Plague? Maybe one day you will be as famous as Pepys! By Tom Hancock.
Word Search Can you find all of the words associated with Burns Night?
A Red Red Rose Ae Fond Kiss Alloway Auld Lang Syne
6
Bagpipes Burns Night Clootie Dumplings
Excise Man Folk songs Haggis Hogmanay
Wha Hae Lyricist Scotland Neeps Tam O Shanter Whisky Port Tatties Rabbie Burns To A Mouse
Colchester’s cultural sector benefits from Government’s Culture Recovery Fund & applications now open for a second round of funding We are thrilled to announce that Colchester’s cultural sector is to receive significant support from the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund, set up to help cultural organisations across the country survive during the global coronavirus pandemic. The ongoing pandemic has had a huge impact on the cultural and creative sector, and the level of investment recognises the real value the sector brings to our local communities and the local economy. A total of eight grants have so far been awarded to organisations based in the Borough of Colchester, to a total value of £1,600,515. These include grants to Colchester Arts Centre, The Mercury Theatre, and Colchester + Ipswich Museums. In addition, the Victor Batte-Lay Trust, which is registered in Braintree District but owns and operates the Minories in Colchester town centre, has received a grant from the fund to help reopen the building when this is possible. Layer Marney Tower, within the Borough of Colchester, has also received grants from a separate scheme within the overall Culture Recovery Fund reserved for heritage. A second round of funding, worth a total of £250 million, opens to applications on the 6 January and closes on the 26 January. This is to help cultural organisations as they transition back to a viable and sustainable operating model during April-June 2021. Full terms and conditions and how to apply can be found at Culture Recovery Fund: Grants Second Round | Arts Council England.
Cranachan A classic Scottish treat for Burns Night
A second round of the Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage, worth £37 million, opens on the 7 January. More information can be found here: Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage: Second Round | The National Lottery Heritage Fund. While we are delighted this targeted support is available and Colchester is benefiting already, we also recognise that the many smaller organisations and individual artists, practitioners and freelancers that are a vital part of our cultural community are worried and struggling. Also open to applications, with a funding pot of £75 million to March 2021, is Arts Council England’s National Lottery Project Grant open access fund, which supports individual artists and practitioners as well community and cultural organisations, libraries and museums, to deliver projects that engage people with creativity and culture. More information can be found here Arts Council National Lottery Project Grants | Arts Council England Councilor Julie Young, Portfolio Holder for Culture and Performance and Deputy Leader of the Council said: “This second round of Culture Recovery funding could be a real lifeline for local cultural and heritage organisations, as they recover from this difficult period and build again for the future. So, I would like to encourage all those involved in our vital cultural sector to check this out, and the Project Grant scheme, and apply, if you can, to help sustain our town’s cultural talent and provide for our local communities.”
Preparation time – 15 minutes Serves – 4 Ingredients 75g pinhead oatmeal (you can use rolled oats, but the steel cut pinhead variety are nuttier and less porridgelike) 1 tbsp soft brown sugar 250g raspberries 500ml double cream 4 tbsp honey, plus a little extra to drizzle 4 tbsp good Scottish whisky Method Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the oatmeal and the sugar then toast, stirring continuously until
the sugar has melted and the oatmeal smells sweet and nutty. Pour on to a baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper and leave to cool. Meanwhile, puree 175g of the raspberries until smooth (reserve the best-looking ones). You can leave the seeds or pass through a sieve for a smooth puree. Whip the cream to fairly stiff peaks, then fold in the honey and whisky. Add three quarters of the oatmeal and all the puree to the cream then swirl through to give a ripple effect. Spoon into four glass dishes and top with the remaining oatmeal, the reserved raspberries, a drizzle of honey. Serve immediately. Did you know? Cranachan is a Gaelic word for a kind of milk churn.
Issue 64
For any information or to submit an article or advert contact David Cook:
Call: Out Of Office: Email: Head Office:
01206 233717 07734 171985 SimplyColchester@gmail.com Simply Magazine, 1 George Williams Way, Colchester, Essex CO1 2JS
COPY DEADLINES:
Cover photo by Jon Sturdy Photography
More Space, More Properties, Same Exceptional Ser vice! For Sales & Letting or Your Free Valuation Please Contract Us On 01206 572233 Sales@palmerpartners.com
Issue 66: 27/01/21 Issue 67: 27/02/21
7
8
Residents urged to keep to social distancing in playgrounds
Garden View
Families visiting Colchester Borough Council’s playgrounds are being encouraged to adhere to the national guidance on social distancing.
Anyone going out to enjoy one of Colchester playgrounds should following the guidance on signs at the site and:
The appeal follows concerns, raised by Essex Police and the council’s Covid Marshalls, of people gathering in groups and not adhering to social distancing guidelines over the last few days.
1.
If you or any of your family are showing symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) DO NOT enter the play area. Return home and seek medical assistance.
2.
Wipe down touch points before If I say ‘winter garden’ what do you and after you use the equipment imagine? A stately home? Evergreen shrubs? Topiary maybe? (e.g. handles).
3.
Regularly hand sanitise before, during and after using the play area.
The current national lockdown rules mean that the Government has said that playgrounds can remain open, but the council will act and close facilities where these concerns are ongoing. The council’s Neighbourhood team is working with Essex Police to patrol areas which are of high concern. Cllr Martin Goss, Colchester Borough Council Portfolio Holder for Waste, Environment and Transportation, said: “Colchester is home to many beautiful open spaces that contain playground facilities and we want people to enjoy them safely. “While many are following the Government’s advice, sadly there are a few who are putting lives at risk and not adhering to social distancing and gathering rules, despite the educational steps taken by Essex Police and our Neighbourhood Services team. “If people can’t follow the rules, then in the interest of protecting and saving lives we will take the decision to close the playgrounds where this continues to be a problem. “We need to take care to be considerate to others and all do our bit combat the spread of the virus. Stay at home as much as possible, and when out for your daily exercise, stay at least two metres apart and continue to wash your hands frequently.”
4.
Adhere to national social distancing guidelines and keep your distance from others.
5.
Do not consume food or drink on site.
6.
Do not use equipment marked ‘out of use’.
7.
Do not put your mouth on the equipment or your hands near your face.
This month - The light fantastic It dawned on me a few years ago when I was out walking the dog on a frosty morning that winter gardens are really all about the light. From late autumn through the winter there is a pink-gold low slanting light in the morning and afternoon which makes frost and raindrops sparkle, casts interesting shadows and makes everything look magical. Watch your garden throughout the day from the rooms you where you see it best. Watch where and when the sunlight falls and plan accordingly.
Grasses look beautiful when they are covered in frost and backlit. The red or yellow winter stems of Cornus (or 8. Take your rubbish home. dogwood) however seem to glow 9. Think about how long you spend when winter sunshine illuminates in the play area - allow others to them directly. use the play area too. If the play Most suburban houses have smaller area is busy, go back later. gardens, easily visible from the house See the full guidance for playgrounds so it’s important to choose plants and outdoor gyms at: www.colchester. which look good in more than one season. gov.uk/coronavirus/residents/ playgrounds-outdoor-gymsAs well as shrubs with good stem coronavirus/ colour, look for smaller trees with pretty bark. There are plenty of small Stay at Home, Protect the NHS, Save Japanese Maples which can be grown Lives in tubs. If you have a little more space a silver birch can look stunning, or even my favourite, the paper-bark maple, Acer griseum, which is a
slow-growing small tree, pretty all year round with crimson leaves in the autumn then a characteristic chestnut bark which peels naturally to reveal bright orange red bark underneath. Look for plants with architectural shapes such as one of the sculptural eryngiums (sea holly), salvias or sedums. All look beautiful in the summer and autumn but gain a second lease of life when covered with frosted cobwebs.
Plants like these will make you want to get out in your garden even in winter, so add a little scent with a winter jasmine or a sarcococca confusa (Christmas box) which has tiny white highly scented flowers. These late flowering plants provide a source of nectar for early pollinators. I no longer tidy my flower beds. I leave piles of fallen leaves and debris in beds to provide shelter for wildlife. The leaves to rot down in the end which is good for the soil too. But I do spend time neatening the edge of the lawn and sharpening the edges of my borders. It’s amazing how much smarter my garden looks with minimal effort. I wish you a Happy New Year and happy gardening. By Rachael Leverton
9
Hula Fitness! The perfect lockdown exercise During the first lockdown I rather enjoyed the enforced laziness. I am a gym member, but I don’t really love it. After a while though I noticed that while I didn’t miss weights and running on the treadmill, I did miss the classes, and the rush of endorphins that followed. Then one day while idly flicking through YouTube videos I came across a ‘hula-fitness’ workout. It looked fun. I grabbed one of my daughter’s neon hula hoops and had a go. Much harder than it looked but I enjoyed it. The next afternoon I had another go and my teenage daughter joined in. We laughed a lot (which was a bonus as anyone who has a teenage daughter will acknowledge) and afterwards we investigated hulafitness a bit more. Hula hooping is inexpensive, and you can do it practically anywhere, which was kind of the point back in lockdown. All you need to get started is a hoop and room to move.
as a beginner because you spin more slowly. If using a weighted hoop, begin with a lighter one (around 0.51Kg) and increase the weight as you get more proficient. Correct form is more important than weight, and I did have a little accident where I pulled a muscle in my back for a few days because in my enthusiasm the first hoop I bought was too heavy. There are a few online tutorials that talk you through how to hula hoop with proper form. To my delight I found our gym offered a beginner’s online hula fitness class, so we signed up for that. With hula hooping, you teach your body how to move the right way with the hoop while working your cardiovascular system. Shorter workouts are better at the start. We started with two ten-minute sessions a day and worked up from there. Basic form and posture
Standard hula hoops are cheap as chips but after a few sessions we invested in weighted ones. Even they didn’t break the bank. Ours cost about £15 each but even the more expensive ones were only £40. It is important to find the right-sized hoop. Larger hoops are a little easier
Feet should be a little more than shoulder-width apart, with one foot slightly in front of the other. Your back should be straight, and your core engaged to protect your back. Hold each side of the hoop around
your waist, resting against your back. With the hoop against your back, start spinning the hoop in whichever direction you find easiest. As the hoop starts to spin, move your waist in a circular motion to keep the hoop moving. Push your hips slightly forward as the hoop moves across your stomach and push back when the hoop moves across your back. KEEP THE CORE MUSCLES ENGAGED – TUMMY TIGHT.
If the hoop drops just pick it up and get going again. Finally - If you have a back injury or chronic back pain, check with your doctor or physical therapist before trying hula hooping to make sure it’s safe for you. By Tracey Anderson
Senior Citizen Discount - Best Prices Given LOGS FOR SALE 10
Call now for a FREE quotation
10% this ad
Quick Crossword Puzzle
ACROSS 1 Seize conflicting factions in church (10) 9 European sophistication (6) 10 Is a climate change causing disasters? (10) 11 Writer keeps ring for labourer (4) 12 British team’s touring Spain in addition (7) 15 Converted democrat has no time for friend (7) 16 Road damaged by nitrogen gas (5) 17 Fellow gets to have a meal – that’s an achievement (4) 18 Money is essential to amateur ornithologist (4) 19 Annoyance when old car doesn’t start (5) 21 Withdraw religious education pamphlet (7) 22 Note, garment provides compensation (7) 24 Writer not unknown to be difficult (4) 27 Urbane exec unusually displaying high spirits (10) 28 Grandmother has setback in French city (6) 29 The tears we shed, darling (10) DOWN 2 Old stove’s colour (6) 3 Supporter keeps pound for tart (4) 4 Captain provides opening for sound sleeper (7) 5 Dry run requiring outside help (4) 6 One slip spoiled foreign letter (7) 7 Rare title circulates around university as reading matter (10) 8 You keep below – shouting’s beginning to get noisy (10) 12 Be needing tennis stroke in advance (10) 13 A little knowledge of Swedish initially being important (10) 14 Was model embracing popular and good person? (5) 15 In credit, need to pay shrink (5) 19 A bit of a shock involving Chelsea’s top player (7) 20 Soldiers negotiate for shelter (7) 23 Score freely, netting century in game (6) 25 Copper needs to be 27 perhaps (4) 26 Reasonable-sounding price (4)
Go Nuts in 2021 No longer feared as the enemy of weight loss, these little nutritional powerhouses have come into their own. Here are four reasons to go a little bit nuts this year. Health - Eating nuts boosts health. They are particularly beneficial to heart health, lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease. A review of 25 scientific led scientists to conclude that eating 70g of nuts per day resulted in lower total cholesterol and lower LDL (bad) cholesterol. Stay slim - One Spanish study of almost 9000 adults, showed that those who ate nuts at least twice a week had a much lower risk of gaining weight over the next few years compared to those who rarely or never ate them. Another study found that despite having the same calorie-intake, adults who included 84g of almonds into their daily diet in place of some of
the carbs, had around a 60% greater reduction in weight and body fat after 6 months compared to those who did not eat them. Muscles – Nuts contain the right combinations of protein and essential fatty acids, to protect muscle tissue, repair damaged cells and reduce inflammation. Portability - If you’re looking for the easiest healthy snack to stash in your handbag or office drawer, nuts are your friend. They provide an instant energy-boost to beat the mid-afternoon slump, and don’t cause a sudden spike in blood sugar like chocolate-based snacks. Keep portions to around 30g per day and stick to raw unsalted varieties. But now is definitely the time to go nuts!
SOLUTIONS ACROSS:1confiscate. 9 polish. 10 calamities. 11 peon. 12 besides. 15 comrade. 16 radon. 17 feat. 18 euro. 19 anger. 21 retract. 22 redress. 24 hard. 27 exuberance. 28 Nantes. 29 sweetheart. DOWN:2 orange. 3 flan. 4 skipper. 5 arid. 6 epsilon. 7 literature. 8 thunderous. 12 beforehand. 13 smattering. 14 saint. 15 cower. 19 actress. 20 retreat. 23 soccer. 25 cube. 26 fare.
11
Call today for a no obligation quote
01206 564179 01473 780477 12
13
COLNE MEDICAL CENTRE Website: www.colnemedicalcentre.nhs.uk
Wishing you a happy and healthy New Year Annual reviews The practice is sending out letters reminding patients with diabetes, asthma or COPD and those who are due a mental health or rheumatoid arthritis to make an appointment for a review. Please take the time to read the letter carefully and contact reception to book the appropriate appointment. It is important to keep up to date with these reviews to ensure that you are receiving the best treatment for your condition. Vaccinations Flu vaccinations: It’s not too late to get your flu vaccination! This is especially important if you have a chronic disease or are over 65yrs. Please contact the surgery to book an appointment. The doctors and nurses can give flu vaccinations to their patients attending normal appointments to save you coming twice. Shingles vaccinations: You're eligible for the shingles vaccine if you're aged 70 or 78 years old. In addition, anyone who was previously eligible (born on or after 2 September 1942) but missed out on their shingles vaccination remains eligible until their 80th birthday. Please contact the surgery to book an appointment with a nurse if you are interested. Pneumonia vaccinations: The PPV vaccine is available on the NHS for children and adults aged from 2 to 64 years old who are at a higher risk of developing a pneumococcal infection than the general population and anyone over the age of 65. This is generally the same people who are eligible for annual flu vaccination. Covid vaccinations: You should have the Covid 19 vaccine if you are an adult living or working in a care home for the elderly, a frontline healthcare or social worker, a carer working in domiciliary care looking after older adults, aged 65 or over, younger adults with certain long-term clinical conditions. The vaccines will be rolled out with the most vulnerable receiving invitations first. You will be contacted when it is the right time to come forwards, so please don’t contact the practice to seek a vaccine before then. Information leaflets are available on the practice website www.colnemedicalcentre.co.uk. Text messaging service The practice provides a text messaging service which sends appointment reminders, health review or vaccination invitations and messages from your GP. With many of these messages you are given the option to DECLINE the review or vaccination offered, saving you time and enabling us to quickly update your medical records. If you wish to sign up to the service please collect a form from the surgery or download one from the practice website. Staffing changes We have said goodbye to two of our GP registars – Dr Pankaj Gupta and Dr Tolu Odujoko and have welcomed three new ones in recent months. Dr Jamal Bousanguar and Dr Sabeen Ahmed joined us in August and Dr Alice Forrest in December. Dr Lana Abu Elreish who also started with us in August is currently on maternity leave. We also have a new practice nurse, Allison Taggart, who will be working alongside our other nursing staff to give more appointment availability.
Thank you for reading. Katie Pirie Practice Manager
14
15