Issue 52
New showrooms now open at Bypass Nurseries, Capel St Mary and Glasswells, Ipswich
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Town Council Update
Cllr Graham Steady
The start of a new council year begins with Cllr Jayne Chapman being elected as the Town Mayor for the third time, Jayne has been a town councillor since 2007, a district councillor since 2011.As the owner of Spirrals ,situated in Victoria Place, Jayne is well known for her community support and has been involved with many local organisations over the years. Jayne has a good pedigree when it comes to retailing being a member of the local well known House family. Deputy Mayor is Cllr Mick Barry who has been a town councillor since 2015 and a district councillor since 2019. Mick is well known for being an officer on the Free Music Festival Committee and the council lead on the trust which runs the towns Lido.Brightlingsea is fortunate to have two strong councillors at the helm,in which are still difficult times.
Issue 51
COUNCIL GRANT BOOSTS FAMILIES IN CRISIS Brightlingsea families in need are getting vital food and fuel supplies thanks to a £2,000 Essex County Council grant. This grant was given to Brightlingsea Foodbank by Essex County Council through Essex County Councillor and Brightlingsea resident, Alan Goggin. With this cash bonus, the Foodbank bought £1,000 of groceries, including tinned and packet foods, toiletries and other essential household items from Tesco at the Hythe, Colchester. These products will be sorted into food parcels issued to Brightlingsea clients who through no fault of their own cannot afford to feed themselves or their families. The remaining grant money has already helped buy warm clothing, school uniforms and domestic fuel payments - including wood for a wood burner - for families and individuals in crisis.
Brightlingsea Foodbank Coordinator, Win Pomroy said: “We are extremely grateful for this most welcome grant, especially when so many more people are in urgent need of our help. “The pandemic has left people struggling for the basics, and each week on average we have been assisting three or four times the number of clients compared with previous years. “While the need is now greater, the community has responded with greater generosity too. In addition to the grant, we have also been overwhelmed by other cash and food donations for the Foodbank and would like to thank everyone for their kindness.” For more details of Brightlingsea Foodbank please call Win or Frank Pomroy on: 07377 738806 or 07970 480968.
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Issue 53: 27/06/21 Issue 54: 27/07/21
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A Good Read up working in a local music shop, living alone with her cat. Nora’s life seems to be going from bad to worse, so she decides to not go on living at all, and one night, just before midnight, she takes an overdose and writes a goodbye note.
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig We all experience both good and bad in our lives. Some people seem pretty content with their lot in spite of adversity, and some are dissatisfied even when others feel they’ve been dealt a good hand. At some point all of us have wondered, what if? What if things were different? Nora certainly does. She’s in her 20s yet feels trapped. As a teenager she was destined to become an Olympic swimmer, but gave it up, went to university to study philosophy, and ended
Suddenly she finds herself in a library; an infinite library where the time is always 00:00 – the Midnight Library. There she meets Mrs Elm, her old school librarian, who explains that this is where she can decide whether or not to live. But she doesn’t have to live her current life; she can live ANY possible life that she could ever have had. Every regret that she ever had has led to another version of her living that life in another possible existence. She now has the chance to decide if she would like to live one of those lives. The Midnight Library draws on classical philosophical ideas, and this thought-provoking novel will lead you to question what happiness is really all about. Will Nora decide to live and if so, which life will she choose?
The Squirrels who Squabbled by Jim Field This picture book was loaned to me by the four-year-old son of a friend, who said it was his favourite book and I should review it – and I can see why. It is autumn and all through the forest creatures are busy storing up the food they need for the winter. All that is except one squirrel: Spontaneous Cyril. As usual, he doesn’t bother with that. He imagines he can grab some food at the last minute. Then the last minute arrives and he spies a fat pinecone, full of lovely nuts. It is just what he needs, and he sets off to acquire it. But he isn’t the only one eyeing
it up. Plan-Ahead Bruce has also seen it. His store is getting on nicely and this is the perfect pinecone to finish it off. Who will get to it first? With wonderful illustrations and text to match it, this book teaches the value of teamwork to young readers.
Word Search Can you find all of the circus-related words hidden in the grid?
beehive blow-dry bob braid chignon
clippers coiffure comb curly cut
fine flyaway fringe frizzy hairdresser
layers perm pigtail plait ponytail
ringlets scissors shampoo slide straighteners
Answers on page 8 6
style tongs tresses wavy
Summer Wine Which tipple to choose for summer option is Albariño, a beautiful refreshing Spanish wine.
The summer months require a different approach to wine. We're more likely to want something refreshing, or to mix it with soda water for a spritzer. Also, even staunch red wine-lovers often drift towards a white or a rose as the temperatures rise.
Look for a dry white with high acidity, a light to medium body. If you favour sweetness try to make sure it also has high acidity. Look for fruity notes, particularly apple and citrus, and stay away from full-bodied chardonnays. Try Riesling, Pinot Grigio, and Sauvignon Blanc. A more unusual
Rosés are fresh-tasting because they are meant to be drunk young. They tend to be fruity and vary from sweeter to dry. Either work nicely for a summer day, and sparkling rosés are particularly pretty and festive for summer celebrations. Try Grenache rosé served cold for a perfect crisp blend of tannins and acidity. Sangiovese rosé is slightly sweeter and fruiter and perfect for warm summer evenings. Some folks just love their reds even in summer. However, avoid heavy,
full-bodied varieties unless you want to feel sleepy and dehydrated. Look for lighter reds that are best served chilled, with low tannin and high acidity. Cinsault is probably my favourite summer red on account of its fruitiness. It's nicely high in acidity too. Frap-pato is also a good summer choice with low tannins and a fresh taste. Lambrusco can be sneered at in some circles but it’s actually the perfect bubbly sweeter red for summer. Cheers. By Helena Campbell
Quick Crossword Puzzle
To Advertise in The Simple Magazine call David on 077 3417 1985 Across 1 5 9 10 11 12 16 17 19 21 22
Exhibit hall, studio (7) An aqualung (5) Uproariously funny (5-8) Sweaters and cardigans (8) Conform, comply (4) Advertising (9) Butt, remnant (4) Crashed (8) A pirate might bury one! (8,5) Brownish green (5) Pursuing (7)
DOWN 2 In pain, hurting (6) 3 Source of illumination (5,4) 4 Cider With _____, novel by Laurie Lee (5) 6 Casual hat (3) 7 Slang for sausage (6) 8 Cloth, textile (6) 11 Large flightless birds (9) 13 Imprison (4,2) 14 Complex carbohydrate (6) 15 English naval hero (6) 18 Blood-sucking worm (5) 20 Biblical ship built by Noah (3)
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Choose the Right Laptop for School or University So, you need a new laptop. With thousands to choose from, and a thick cloud of jargon to wade through, where do you start? First, make a list of what you will use the machine for. All laptops will let you browse the web, type essays, and watch videos. Do you need to run some specialist software? If you're studying a programming course, graphic design, or photography for example, you'll probably need a more powerful laptop. Gaming requires the most computer power so, if you want to run the latest games at full speed you'll need to increase your budget accordingly. Next, you need to consider how you're going to use the laptop. If you mostly use it at home at a desk, the laptop doesn't need to be as portable. You can go for larger sizes and less battery life. If you need it in lessons throughout the day away from a power socket, consider a more compact design with a whole-day battery life. 2-in-1 laptops allow you to you unplug the keyboard and use the laptop as a tablet for even more convenience. Your budget will be dictated by the first two steps: the more features you need the more you'll need to budget. For a basic, general-purpose laptop expect to pay about £400. If you need to run some specialist software look in the £400 to £800 bracket. Whatever laptop you decide on there are a few basic specifications you need to check. How fast your laptop can perform tasks is controlled by the microprocessor and memory. The faster your processor and the more memory you have, the more responsive your laptop will be. In general, bigger numbers mean more power. As a minimum for your processor, I would advise an Intel i3 or any of the Ryzen devices. For memory puzzle solutions:
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(RAM) you need at least 4 GB, 8 GB or more if you can afford it. Apple laptops do their own thing beyond the scope of this article, but the premise is the same. Hard disks are where you store all of your information and programs. Most laptops use solid-state drives which are faster and use less battery than mechanical drives. If you're only using your laptop for web browsing and writing essays, a 128 GB hard drive will probably be okay. If you want to use your laptop for anything more go for
at least 256 GB or you'll quickly run out of hard drive space. Once you get past the basic requirements it's down to personal choice. If you can get to a computer shop try a few out. Make sure the keyboard and touchpad feel right for you. Check that the screen is clear and bright enough for you to easily read it. Make sure the size is either big enough for you to use the programs you need, or small enough to make it easily portable.
One of the great things about computers is that techy people love to write reviews about them. Check the web for more advice, and check reviews for any laptop you're thinking of buying. Paying more will always get you a more powerful laptop. But that extra power is only useful if you're going to use it! My rough guide to laptop happiness - find the specification that meets your needs, then buy the model above that it if you can afford it.
Care Homes How to choolse the right one Care of the elderly is an emotive subject, and has become even more so during the pandemic. Whether you are choosing a care home for yourself, or searching on behalf of an elderly relative, you want to make sure you get it right. First you need to decide on the level of care required. Residential homes are for people who can no longer cope with daily activities in their home. They may also need help washing, bathing, dressing and going to the toilet. Nursing homes are for those people who require regular nursing care, by or under the supervision of a qualified nurse. Residents tend to have no mobility or severely limited mobility, mental confusion, and may be faecally incontinent. As with any home, location is important. You may want to choose a place where family or friends can visit regularly? Once a location has been decided
on, select as many care homes as you can and visit every one of them. The Care Quality Commission (www.cqc. org.uk) have over 18000 care homes registered with them and publish all their inspection reports online, so this is a good place to start. Two other excellent sources of information are the websites www.yourcarehome. co.uk and www.carehomesupport. co.uk. Groundwork is good, but there is no substitute for visiting and assessing the standard of service yourself. This is harder at the moment but that option should still be offered, even with all the restrictions in place. Begin your inspection by ringing to arrange appointments to visit the premises. Ask yourself if the phone was answered in a friendly way. Did the person answering the phone sound stressed or abrupt? When you visit, what are your first impressions? Is the place bright and clean, comfortable, welcoming and airy? Did the receptionist make eye contact and smile? Were you offered a
cup of tea while you waited? What are the noise levels like? Are there any unpleasant odours? Look at the residents and chat to them if you have an opportunity. Do they look clean, well-cared for and happy? Monitor how much interaction there is between the staff and the residents. Is there lots of friendly chatter? Check to see if call lights over doors are on and being left unanswered. This might indicate staffing problems. Check the floor, especially in corners and under beds. This is a good indicator of whether standards of hygiene and care are high throughout.
When you’ve reached a decision, take good financial and legal advice. What are the fees and what do they include? Can you afford them on a long-term basis? What happens if funds dry up? What is the protocol for making a complaint? Consult the Office of Fair Trading ‘Fair Terms for Care’ booklet to see whether the contract you’ll be asked to sign is a fair one. Ask as many questions as you can up front, and you will help ensure that any move you or your elderly relative makes will be the right one.
Dance your way to fitness urban style! the minutes till it’s over. One of the best things about Street Dance is that time flies when you're in the zone performing the choreography. With contin-uous practise and training you'll eventually see a spike in your stamina. It's versatile - Do it alone, or dance as part of a crew. Either way, mastering a dance routine is rewarding. You can transfer your new skills to the nightclub or wedding dancefloor. And the next time you hear that same tune on the radio you'll want to turn up the volume and dance. It encourages self-expression - There are a lot of styles within the genre of Street Dance, from popping and locking to breakdance and house dance, so there's a lot of room for selfexpression, and attitude.
Street Dance is rooted in rap, hip hop, funk, and house. It combines rhythm, poetry, lyricism, energy, and pow-er. It’s also a fabulous way to get fit and can really boost your health and happiness. Here are the top 5 bene-fits of street dance:
It’s mood-enhancing - If you want a great way to express yourself through raw power, street dance is brilliant. Its gritty and primal, which is something great to tap into when life is tough, and you need a lift. It allows you to work hard, lose themselves, and come out the other side
It’s a great cardio workout - Street Dance is a fun way to achieve cardiovascular fitness. It beats running on a treadmill or riding a bike up a hill hands down. If you hate cardio work at the gym maybe it's because you hate being mentally present during torturous forms of exercise, counting
It’s a full head-to-toe work out - You'll strengthen your hands, feet, and joints. You'll develop flexibility and strength. There are lots more good beginner classes around now. Look for one that provides a solid introduction to core street dance skills and fun high-energy choreography. Start dancing today. By Tracey Anderson
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Garden View This month – The Garden Goddess Iris was the goddess of the rainbow in Greek mythology. I have a thing for Greek mythology, and I love Irises. The large, bearded types unfurl at this time of year and they reflect the colours of the spectrum from deepest purple, through dusky orange, eggyolk yellow and the most delicate of blues, to the brightest of whites. They comprise of standard petals, which are carried aloft over the graceful fall petals, which arch downwards. From the upper bases of the falls grow groups of fuzzy hairs called beards and from this the bearded Iris gets her name. Even the foliage is attractive: large pale green swords that shoot straight upwards from the earth. Bearded Irises love full sun and prefer to have their fleshy rhizomes (the underground stems) near the soil surface so they can take full advantage of the sun’s warmth. They actually prefer a more impoverished soil, so if your soil is a bit thin and dry they may
be perfect for your garden. As the clumps become overcrowded the centres die out. Dig them up immediately after flowering and chop them into single healthy rhizomes, each with a fan of leaves. Shorten each fan with scissors by about half, then replant about 30cm apart in another sunny spot so that the rhizomes are just visible under the surface. Although they like drier conditions make sure they are watered in and looked after for a few weeks until estab-lished. But really you don’t need to do much to them. Overly enriched soil is not a friend to the iris, which might decline to flower in such conditions. My best flowering plants are in the driest, most sun-baked part of my plot! But for those who have shadier gardens and boggier conditions try the non-bearded Iris sibirica. I have one in a sun-dappled spot by a
water feature. Its leaves are greener and grassier, which complements the water, and it has lovely rich blue flowers which look particularly nice in the shade. I also like Iris ensata, which I plant by my pool at the water’s edge. It’s also a good choice in borders if you garden on richer soil than mine.
So, invoke the power of the Goddess Iris in your garden, and enjoy the rainbow of colour. Happy gardening, By Rachael Leverton
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Eton Mess The simplest of desserts but possibly the best way to use succulent strawberries. Some people say it’s the only thing of any worth to come out of Eton. I couldn’t possibly comment. Preparation time: 30 min Cooking time: If making meringues allow 2 hr 30 mins plus cooling. Otherwise, no cooking time! Serves: 6
Ingredients For the meringues (or you can use good quality shop-bought meringue nests) 175g caster sugar 1 thick lemon slice 3 egg whites, at room temperature 1 pinch salt To assemble the mess 500g ripe strawberries 50g caster sugar 450ml double cream 1 tbsp icing sugar 1 tsp vanilla paste Mint for garnish
Method Meringues Preheat the oven to 220C / gas 7. Line a baking tray and pour the sugar on to it then bake in the oven until it just begins to melt at the edges. Rub the inside of the mixing bowl with the lemon (this gets rid of any grease) and add the egg whites. Just before it's time to take the sugar out of the oven, start whisking the whites at high speed. Carefully tip the hot sugar and the salt
into the fluffy foamy whites. Continue whisking until the mixture is cool, glossy and forms soft peaks. Lower the heat in the oven to 130C / gas ½. Heap dollops of meringue on to lined baking trays, making sure they are well spaced. Bake in the cool oven for about two and a half hours. Check after two hours. The outsides should be crisp and golden but not burned! Turn off the oven and leave the meringues inside to cool completely.
The mess To prepare the strawberries: wash
and hull the fruit, and slice into half or quarters. Aim for bite-size pieces. Place the strawberries in a bowl, sprinkle with the caster sugar, making sure all the strawberries are coated. Place in the fridge for half an hour until the fruit goes squidgy and leaks juices.
essence) and whip to soft peaks.
Set a third of the strawberry mixture on one side for later. Using a potato masher lightly crush the rest into a chunky puree. Pour the double cream into a big bowl (it’s best if the bowl is cold). Sift in the icing sugar and the teaspoon of vanilla paste (not
I tend to leave mine in a big serving dish so people can help themselves, but it looks lovely spooned into tall glasses and topped with a sprig of mint.
Roughly squash and break six of the meringues. Fold the pieces and the crushed strawberries into the whipped cream. Don’t mix to thoroughly. The red and white should be clearly distinct.
Get closer to nature once more as town’s popular museum reopens its doors Colchester Museums are thrilled to announce the reopening of Colchester’s Natural History Museum as of Tuesday 1 June. Housed in the stunning former All Saints Church, the building, which can be dated back to the Norman period (through its Nave and Chancel), is packed full of exhibits and specimens about Britain’s natural history and in particular North-East Essex. Visitors can explore wildlife habitats, learn more about stag beetles (one of Colchester’s success stories!), discover more about the secrets of the drowned world beneath the North Sea, and immerse themselves in a day of interactive fun! The museum, based in a convenient
town centre location, is steps away from Colchester Castle, Europe’s largest Norman Keep, which sits across the road in historic Castle Park. The Castle draws visitors from all over the country to marvel at its many treasures. Visitors can combine a visit to both museums, Castle Park itself, and also access tourism information from Colchester’s Visitor Information Centre – all within easy reach of each other. Councillor Julie Young, Portfolio Holder for Culture and Performance and Deputy Leader of Colchester Borough Council, said: “This summer, pay a visit to the Natural History Museum. It is a hugely popular attraction with young families and offers a fantastic free day out. With fascinating displays, exhibits and a
shop for those little souvenirs, there is plenty to keep the whole family occupied.” Rest assured, visits to the museum will be fully Covid safe and social distancing measures will be in place throughout the building, along with sanitising stations. There is no need to book in advance simply turn up for your visit. Colchester Museums are custodians of nationally important artefacts and strive to ensure the public can always
access these collections. By visiting the Natural History Museum, you are helping preserve Colchester’s rich heritage for future generations.
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Surgery Update Website: www.colnemedicalcentre.nhs.uk Facebook:@Colnemedical
Colne Medical Centre appointment system update There is a continued need to maintain social distancing at the practice and reduce the number of patients visiting the practice in order to keep staff and vulnerable patients safe. For this reason appointments with a GP will always be a telephone consultation in the first instance, should a physical examination is required your GP will arrange for you to come into the practice on the same day. Over the last few months we have listened to your requests and frustrations regarding the appointment system and given it a great deal of thought, trying to find a solution. From Monday 10th May the appointments system has changed as follows: Morning surgery will remain as a ‘same day’ booking system and all appointments will be telephone consultations in the first instance. These appointments will be available to book online if you are registered for online access or by calling reception from 08:30 daily. Afternoon telephone appointments with a GP/ GP registrar or Nurse Practitioner will be available to book one week in advance. These appointments will be available to book online if you are registered for online access or by calling reception on 01206 302522. You can book an assessment directly with the physiotherapist online or by calling the practice. Demand for appointments has increased dramatically over the last 6 months and the practice cannot guarantee that you will get an appointment on the same day if your request is not clinically urgent. There are 14 phone lines into the practice and you will be placed in a queue when you call. Our reception team answer all calls as quickly as they can but due to the volume of patients calling you may experience a short wait time. If at all possible, please call after 11:00 to ask about test results, non-urgent enquiries and routine bookings with the nursing team. Recent media headlines have understandably left many GPs and practice teams demoralised, angry and feeling that the immense workload pressures that practices are currently experiencing is not recognised or appreciated. It is for practices to determine how they meet the reasonable needs of their patients, and the safety of staff and clinically extremely vulnerable patients is paramount. The appointment system and practice procedures are under continual review and will be adapted as we progress through the pandemic. The new appointment system will be reviewed within the next month but our hope is that this will provide more flexibility for our patients. Thank you for reading. Katie Pirie, Practice Manager
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