Alconbury February 2023

Sustainable Travel

The benefits of travelling are infinite. From increasing cultural understanding to supporting the economies of third-world countries, there’s no denying that the travel boom of the last two decades has had a positive impact on the world. However, the increase in plane travel and overcrowding of tourist hotspots has undoubtedly had a negative impact on the environment too. Shockingly, plane travel is one of the leading causes of climate change, with one return flight from London to Montreal in Canada emitting as many carbon emissions as heating a home in Europe for an entire year!

If you’re looking to reduce your carbon footprint, but still want to see the world, don’t lose hope. There are lots of ways to make your trips more

sustainable – whether that’s by choosing the right destinations, seeking out eco-experiences or choosing greener modes of transport. Here are a few tips and tricks to consider before booking your next trip away.

Choose a destination closer to home

You don’t have to travel to the other side of the world to have an unforgettable holiday. There are plenty of awe-inspiring destinations sitting right on your doorstep here in the UK, or just a short plane or train journey away.

With the pandemic putting a halt to foreign travel for over a year, many of us will be more accustomed to holidaying in the UK. However, if you have set your sights on somewhere far-flung, reduce your carbon footprint by taking one longer holiday per year instead of multiple shorter trips.

Use efficient modes of transportation

Too often, we choose the easiest option when it comes to travelling, instead of thinking about the journey itself as an experience worth treasuring. Air travel tends to be the easiest but least efficient mode of transportation. When visiting destinations that are close to home – such as cities in Western Europe, for example – why not consider travelling by train or coach? You’ll cut your emissions, while

soaking up the scenery along the way. Once you’ve arrived at your destination, avoid renting a car and travel by bus, rail or bike instead. If you do rent a car, go for an electric, hybrid or smaller model.

Take the road less travelled

Nowadays, more and more destinations are becoming victims of a phenomenon known as ‘overtourism’. In short, overtourism occurs when there are too many visitors at a particular destination, resulting in locals being pushed out, damage to the area and more. Amsterdam, Venice and Barcelona are just a few cities that have experienced overtourism, but beaches, national parks and sometimes entire countries can also fall prey.

While it’s tempting to visit the bucket-list destinations you see on social media, as a tourist you can make a difference by getting off the beaten path. The reality is that many tourist hotspots don’t live up to their expectations – you’ll likely have to spend hours standing in line with other eager holidaymakers, only to discover that the destination doesn’t look the same in reality as it did online. For your next trip, do some extra research and look beyond the top destinations and attractions in the area you’re staying. You could also ask locals or other travellers for recommendations. By visiting smaller cities or rural areas, you’ll be spreading the benefits of tourism to more remote communities!

Seek out local and sustainable experiences

While you’re enjoying your holiday, take advantage of every opportunity to give back to the local community. Buying gifts for your family and friends? Snap up locally made souvenirs at smaller independent stores. Fancy a meal out? Avoid big hotel chains and find restaurants and eateries that are run by local residents.

Homestays, local guides and programmes that give

back to the community are also good ways to ensure your money is injected back into the local economy. Pack like a pro Plastic waste might not be a huge issue in the western world yet, but developing countries such as Cambodia and Vietnam have been suffering from uncontrollable plastic rubbish in oceans, waterways and beaches for years.

You can avoid single-use plastics on your travels by packing reusables like a water bottle, coffee cup, steel or bamboo straw, collapsible food container and bamboo cutlery. By doing so, you’ll reduce your waste output and have a smaller impact on the country you’re visiting.

By Solange Hando

Wines: a range that could suit

I consider that it is a good idea to have wines of different types, for many occasions. Certainly, some people like a white wine, whilst others may prefer a red or sparkling production. When it comes to sweeter and fortified wines, there are numerous, very satisfying delectations, also. I have located several wines, that could be of interest, either to be enjoyed by themselves or to accompany a lot of foods. To commence, I prefer a sparkling production. LES PIONNIERS CHAMPAGNE (12% vol) creates a massive acceptance. Fine bubbles attract and, with the delicate bouquet, thoughts of summer fruits abound. The mouthfeel and sensation on the palate needs little to confirm this excellent French selection. Great for parties and receptions, too. NAUTILUS (13.5% vol) has the white wine spot (for me). This Sauvignon Blanc, from Marlborough, New Zealand, is a very popular production and regularly found on many dining tables. Perfectly balanced, with a crisp mouthfeel, which continues on to the palate’s pleasure, this certainly does not disappoint. An extended finish, confirms my preference, for this wine. So, to the reds. Merlot is a popular and regular choice, for many. TILTING TREE (13% vol), from Moldova, has my attention firmly focussed. This wine has an abundance of aromas, on the bouquet. The flavour exudes juicy plum and ripe red fruits, for the mouth’s pleasures, which are very well accepted. Splendid with red meats and many other dishes. Towards the end of a dining occasion, perhaps a port or sweet sherry appeals. I found 10 Year Old IRRESISTIBLE TAWNY PORT (20% vol), from Portugal, an excellent selection. This production is matured in casks and (I found) a perfect accompaniment to the (towards) ending of a dining time. If sherry is a preference, then IRRESISTIBLE PEDRO XIMÉNEZ (17% vol) is a good choice. This Spanish delight has been loved for decades and continues to please, constantly. Pairing with numerous desserts, including Sticky Toffee Pudding (a favourite), this production is superb when poured over ice cream (vanilla, a great choice). I sourced these wines at a Coop store. If Co-op membership is of interest, rewards can be gained on purchases. Co-op also supports Fairtrade.

www.coop.co.uk

www.infofairtrade.net

As always, Enjoy!

The Food of Love

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. 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. 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

Choosing a Financial Advisor

If you’re going to make a big financial decision, it makes sense to get help from the professionals. But you may worry about getting advice that you can trust and that’s right for you. That’s where an independent financial advisor comes in.

ADVICE vs GUIDANCE

Financial guidance (which anyone can give) is where somebody talks you through the pros and cons of your potential decisions. However, they legally cannot make any recommendations about your best option.

Financial advice is a regulated industry and a financial advisor can make specific recommendations of the best products for your needs. It’s only a suggestion, and you make the final decision, but that decision will be much better informed.

Financial advisors come in two forms. A ‘restricted’ financial advisor may only make recommendations for particular products or particular providers. In some cases, they may know or think there’s a better option elsewhere but don’t have to tell you about it. An independent financial advisor can consider all options. Using an independent financial advisor also has some legal advantages. It’s a regulated status and the advisor is legally required to take into account several factors when giving advice. These include your budget, how long-term you are thinking, your tax status and the risk level you’ll accept.

If they don’t do so, you can complain to the Financial Services Ombudsman and could even get compensation. Remember, this only covers ‘bad advice’ in the sense that it wasn’t suitable for your specific needs. It doesn’t cover cases where the

product carried a degree of risk that you knew about and that risk didn’t pay off as well as you might have hoped. The Financial Services Compensation Scheme can step in if the financial advisor has gone into liquidation.

Always check that an independent financial advisor is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, which is a legal requirement. This means they have a particular level of professional financial qualifications, commit to a code of ethics and take part in ongoing professional training.

Another rule of being regulated is that the adviser must tell you up front what they charge and how their costs are calculated, letting you compare advisors before committing to a service. With new clients, advisers can no longer take commission from financial service providers. Instead, they can charge you through models such as an hourly rate, a set fee, an ongoing ‘subscription-style’ retainer, or a percentage of the money you invest.

WHO TO ENGAGE?

You could ask friends and family for a recommendation, but their needs and financial situation may be very different to yours.

There are a range of independent websites including Unbiased and VouchedFor, which can suggest advisors in your area.

Finally, whilst using someone local doesn’t guarantee that you’ll get the best person, it’s much more likely you’ll be able to get feedback. And if an advisor has given time and money to advertise their services, their reputation is important to ensure they get the best return.

A rose by any other name…

The late winter month of February brings into focus the romantic festival of Valentine. Did you know that a gift of a thornless rose is said to represent ‘love at first sight’, and a single rose of any colour other than red means ‘thank you’? The single red rose doesn’t need any explanation, but if you feel generous and buy a bunch of twelve red roses, it could mean ‘I want to marry you’.

Living roses also make a wonderful gift. They can be planted now, provided the ground is frost-free. You can include a dose of mycorrhizal fungi, which will form a symbiotic relationship with any tree or shrub. Types of roses - There are dozens of different types of roses and thousands of varieties in each category. New roses are being bred every year, but some of the old favourites include:

• Wild roses such as Rosa rugosa and Rosa canina, which can make wonderful informal hedges.

• Old Garden rose varieties, which are often over 100 years old, such as the pink, perfumed Rosa chinensis – the China rose.

• Hybrid tea roses such as: ‘Compassion’, an apricot pink, scented beauty; ‘Claret’, a red/crimson variety with lovely fragrance; and ‘Aphrodite’, a pink rose with good disease resistance. Hybrid tea originate from the old tea roses, which smelled of spiced tea. They have strong, single blooms that are good for cutting.

• Floribunda roses have a profusion of smaller flowers, which appear in delightful clusters. These flower repeatedly and it is possible to have floribunda roses all through spring and into late

summer.

• Patio roses are smaller than the shrub varieties and suitable for pots and containers. If you have a courtyard garden or even a large window box, this might be the one for you. The Gold Standard, award winning ‘George Best’ is a rather wonderful red, fading to pink. ‘Special Friend’ is the palest of pinks with a delicate fragrance.

• Ground-cover roses can look wonderful at the front of a border or draping across a low wall. Rosa ‘Kent’ is a white variety that has many excellent attributes, including large clusters of rain-tolerant blooms.

• Shrub roses are the modern equivalent to the Old Garden variety. They have been bred to be generally fairly disease resistant, having fairly large blooms that flower for many weeks. An unusual one is ‘Ferdinand Pichard’, being striped in clashing colours of bold pink, crimson and purple.

• Rambling roses are probably not for the fainthearted! They grow beautifully through trees but might be too vigorous for a trellis or pergola. They generally flower just once a year, but it’s a show worth waiting for, particularly the white ‘Rambling Rector’.

• Climbing roses are a more orderly bunch of characters that love to grow over pergolas and can usually be trained to obey the chief gardener. They often flower more than once per year. Try ‘Gardener’s Glory’, a yellow rose that is a Gold Standard award winner, or ‘Gloriana’, a striking purple rose that flowers almost all summer long.

Caroline Knight: Gardendesignideas.co.uk

GreenFingers

The Alan Titchmarsh column

He’s a brilliant presenter, accomplished gardener, talented novelist, and all-round horticultural inspiration. This month, Alan Titchmarsh discusses how to keep motivation for your garden going. The back might ache more than it used to and there’s more than a hint of a painful creak in the knees, but most days I still feel the urge to get out there and do my bit… and even when I don’t feel the urge, I always find it important to push on. After all, my faithful beds and trellises rely on it!

It’s also worth remembering how beneficial the everyday rigours of flowering and weeding, pruning and digging are. It comes with the territory when you get to my sort of age, but I always remind myself that by the very nature of gardening you are outdoors, filling the lungs with oxygen and experiencing what it is to be around plants, trees and flowers. If that isn’t good for the soul, I don’t know what is!

I think what should motivate us to garden, even on those days when we would rather be in the pub, is the fact there is something unique about every outside space, and it changes on each occasion you set foot out into it. There is always something that’s different, and special, and always ready to enchant you… always something you perhaps hadn’t noticed before!

It’s important to remember that although your garden is a wild space, you have, in effect, tamed a lot of it; so like a pet or a child, it relies on you to keep doing the things you invested in it in the first place. It’s sort of saying, ‘you’ve started now, you can’t just stop!’

Remember too, it was you who had the vision, the idea, the perception of what this space should look like; so press on with those jobs and keep making your garden your own personal space – it’s an expression of who you are, and just like we get up in the mornings and have a wash, comb our hair, so too do we owe that to our gardens.

So in summing up, of course the work can be hard and tiring and there are days when the body seems to be telling me to stop, but I am happy and healthy and have a loving family so things could be far worse. And what would I do anyway? Okay, yes… head to the pub!

FOUR SEASONS TREE SERVICES

Qualified & Professional Tree and Client Care

PRUNING • LOPPING • FELLING

PLANTING • REDUCING & RESHAPING

CROWN RAISING • HEDGE TRIMMING

THINNING • POLLARDING • STUMP REMOVALS

OVERGROWN GARDENS PUT BACK INTO SHAPE

FRUIT TREES TREATED • LOG & WOODCHIP SALES

FREE ESTIMATES & ADVICE WITH NO OBLIGATION

For quality jobs at a competitive price call:

Home: 01353 721665 - Mob: 07771 707921

All work carried out to BS 3998 Standard

A genuine family managed business est. for over 30 years - fully insured

WasteRegisteredCarrier

This company offers a 7 day cooling off period

Fill in the grid so that each row, column and 3x3 box, contains the digits 1 through to 9 with no repetition. Use your logic to solve the puzzles.

What's On

WHAT'S ON IN FEBRUARY

1 FEBRUARY

Brampton Flower Club

7pm for 7.30pm

Lady Olivia Hall, Central Drive, Brampton

‘Spring Inspiration’ by Tim Meakin. Meets the first Wednesday of the month. Visitors welcome. www.bramptonflowerclub.com

1 FEBRUARY

Buckden Local History Society

7.30pm

Millard Suite, Village Hall

Visitors £4, children free

‘Recreation of The Witch Trial at Huntingdon Town Hall’ by John Davies. Meets first Wednesday of each month. New members/visitors welcome. Annual membership £16. Web: www.buckdenhistory.co.uk

1, 8, 15 & 22 FEBRUARY

Kimbolton Bridge Club 10am-12pm

Mandeville Hall, Kimbolton

Meets every Wednesday for friendly, social bridge. Players of all standards are welcome with or without a partner. Just turn up!

1, 8 & 22 FEBRUARY

St Neots Choral Society

7.30-9.30pm Eynesbury Junior School, Montagu Street, Eynesbury

Rehearsals are every Wednesday in term time. Tel: 01480 212298 Web: www.stneotschoral.org.uk

2 FEBRUARY

Roxton & District Local History Group

7.30pm Roxton Village Hall

Members free, visitors £4

‘Crime and Punishment in Victorian St Neots’ by Liz Davies. Email: mariascreen1@gmail.com

Web: roxtonhistory.org.uk

2, 9, 16 & 23 FEBRUARY

Riverport Singers

10.15-11.15am

The Corn Exchange, St Ives Community choir for people living with dementia, their carers, family and friends. Tel: Agi 07757 811802

Email: agipeach@icloud.com

Web: facebook.com/

riverportsingers

3 FEBRUARY

St Neots Local History Society

7.30pm

Eynesbury Primary School

SNLHS members free, visitors £4

‘Crime and Punishment in Victorian St Neots’ by Liz Davies.

Web: www.stneotslhs.org.uk

4 FEBRUARY

Saints Crafters

9.30am-3.30pm

Free Church Hall, Market Hill, St Ives

Art and craft fair. Buy original and handmade items direct from the crafter.

Email: saintscrafters@gmail.com

4 FEBRUARY

Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire Hardy Plant Society

2pm

The Weatherley Centre, Biggleswade

‘Unexpectedly Hardy’ with Tim Fuller. Plants for sale from Tim’s nursery. Visitors welcome – small charge.

Web: www.hpscambsandbeds.co.uk

6 & 18 FEBRUARY

St Neots Astronomical Association

7.30pm

Paxton Pits Visitor Centre

Observing evening. Non-members welcome - first meeting free. Web: snaa.co.uk

7 FEBRUARY

Hail Weston Wildlife and Gardening Group

7.15pm for 7.30pm

Hail Weston Village Hall

Members £1, non-members £3

'Every Picture tells a story’ with Alan Goodger. Refreshments available.

Annual membership £7.

Email: hwwgg@yahoo.com

7, 14, 21 & 28 FEBRUARY

St Neots & District Camera Club

7.15pm for 7.30pm

Bowls Club, St Neots

Regular talks and competitions.

Web: www.stneots-camera-club. org.uk

7, 21 & 28 FEBRUARY

St Neots Sinfonia

7.45-9.30pm

Eynesbury Junior School, Montagu Street, Eynesbury

Rehearsals are every Tuesday in term time.

Tel: 01480 212298

Web: www.stneotssinfonia.org.uk

8 FEBRUARY

The Huntingdonshire Local Group of the Wildlife Trust

7.30pm Brampton Memorial Hall, Thrapston Road, Brampton

Entry £3.50. ‘Barren or Buzzing?

The Value of Brownfield Sites’ with Sarah Lambert and Peter Kirby who are Ecological Consultants and longstanding supporters of the Wildlife Trust. All welcome.

Tel: George 01480 450809

Email: george.cottam@virginmedia. com

11 FEBRUARY

Community Led Plan - Coffee, Cakes & Chat

10am-12 noon

The Hub, Little Paxton

The Community Led Plan survey results will be on display. To help make Little Paxton better - come along to see the key areas for action.

Tel: Parish Clerk Tel 01480 470193

11 & 25 FEBRUARY

St Neots Farmers & Craft Market

8am-1.30pm. Products from local food producers and craft makers.

13 FEBRUARY

Perry WI

7.30pm Sailability Club House, Grafham Water Centre

Tel: Jakki Spall 07703 431900

17 FEBRUARY

Kimbolton Community Cinema

7pm for 7.30pm

Mandeville Hall, Kimbolton

‘Mrs Harris Goes To Paris’. Tickets available online or on the door.

Email: kimbolton.cinema@gmail. com

Web: www.ticketsource.co.uk/ mandeville-hall-kimbolton

WHAT'S ON IN FEBRUARY

21 FEBRUARY

Dementia Café

10am-12pm

St Ives Free Church, St Ives £2.50 per person

For people with dementia and their carers.

Tel: George 07725 588145

Web: facebook.com/ stivesdementiafriendlycommunity

21 FEBRUARY

Greensands Writers' Group

7-9pm

Free event

Enjoy writing? Join Greensands Writers' Group for a monthly Zoom meeting.

Web: https://m.facebook.com/ GreensandsWritersGroup/

23 FEBRUARY

St Neots & District Gardening Club Meeting

7.30pm

St Mary's Church Hall, Brook Street, St Neots

Members £2, Visitors £2.50

‘Chrysanthemum Growing’ by Simon White.

Web: www.stneotsgardenclub.org. uk

24 FEBRUARY

16th Bösendorfer Piano Concerts

7.30pm

Hinchingbrooke Performing Arts Centre, Huntingdon

Pianists from the Purcell School of Music.

Web: www.ticketsource.co.uk/pac

25 FEBRUARY

The Big Blunham Book Sale

10am-3pm

Blunham Parish Church, MK44 3NQ

An enormous selection of nearly new books - specialist and fiction sorted into categories. All profits to Blunham Church Fabric Fund.

Tel: Sue and Peter Holden 01767 640572

UNTIL 16 APRIL

Changing Times: A Century of Modern British Art Exhibition. The Higgins, Bedford

Free entry. Visitors will find sculpture, paintings and works on paper by some of the best-known and well-loved names in British art.

Web: www.thehigginsbedford.org.uk

The deadline for What’s On entries is Thursday 9th February 2023. What’s on entries to whatson@villagermag.net

January’s Puzzle Solutions and Winner

The Villager Prize Crossword

Prize £25

Complete the crossword and fill in your details below, before 16th

February 2023

Either cut out this page and send to Prize Crossword, Villager Publications Ltd. 24 Market Square, Potton, Beds SG19 2NP Or photograph your entry and email to competitions@villagermag.com

The winner will be drawn at random from the correct entries.

Name:

Tel:

2 Disappear (6) 3 Piled up (7) 4 Connects (5) 5 Closer to (6) 6 Railway coach (8) 12 Casual (8)

14 Haggle (7)

16 Votes for (6)

18 Scratch (6)

19 Repairs (5)

22 Fizzy drink (4)

Coins Bought

Locksmith

Men’s Health

Vehicle Detailing and Valeting