Stay Connected Digital Lockdown Magazine - Issue 3

• QUARANTINE NEWS • PODCASTS • MUSIC • BUSINESS UPDATES • FITNESS VIDEOS • FUN STUFF

DIGITAL MAGA ZINE

#STAY CONNECTED Issue 3 – 2020

A C HA NC

WIN E TO

MERCE

DES- AM

G GTS See pa * ge 4 fo r d e tails *Term s and co nditions

apply

ENTERTAINING YOU FROM THE COMFORT OF YOUR HOME

www.wearmyleggings.co.uk

BE BOLD BE strong BE BEAUTIFUL

Great qualitySend andyour highexperiences waisted flattering fit luxury sportswear 2 and weblinks to stayconnected@spotgraphics.co.uk

CONTENTS COMPETITON p4 BUSINESS p6 MARKETING p8 READERS VIEWS

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RELATIONSHIP ADVICE

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PADDLEBOARDING p16 WORKOUTS p18 MUSIC p20 PODCASTS p22 FUNNIES p24 RECIPES p26 GARDEN TRENDS

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HEALTH p30 NEW BUSINESS START UP

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Sending positive vibes from Stay Connected Digital Magazine as we head towards the new normal. Kids will be back at school soon so time to get our heads back into reality after a very long summer.

In this issue we have a fantastic new style Iconic competition which gives you the chance to win a Mercedes AGM GTS in a new style competition, plus Paddleboard reviews, current Trends, fitness videos, podcast recommendations, business advice, live music streaming along with social media funnies.

Feel free to share your experiences and recommendations with us...

Happy holidays!

Linz Photo courtesy Laura Aubrey

Lindsey Legg lindsey@spotgraphics.co.uk

COMPETITION

WIN MY CAR! Ty Temel with the help of a specialist solicitor came up with a fantastic opportunity to raffle his car for £50 per ticket. As long as all the tickets are sold then the draw will take place and given to the winning ticket.

If all tickets are not sold then the draw will be for the pot of money raised which can be viewed on the website: www.iconic-competitions. com and grab a ticket! Imagine driving away in that, no catch, no finance, nothing. Just you, the car and the open road.

Would you like to be the new owner of this Mercedes-AMG GTS for just £50?

Entrepreneur and nightclub owner Ty Temel decided to setup ICONIC competitions after he struggled to sell the car during lockdown.

• Burmeister Sound System • Reverse Camera • Heated Seats • Electric Memory Seats • And much more Car will be fully valeted, newly serviced and have a brand new MOT done for the winner. (Please allow up to 14 days after draw for us to complete this for you).

closes on Friday 4th September at 23:59 or once we sell the maximum amount of entries for the competition (1500). Which ever comes first. If we do not sell the required amount entries by Friday 4th September at 23:59 we will draw a Cash alternative prize to the sum of 75% of tickets sold.

Whether you are entering our competition by post or online please ensure you have carefully read and agree to our terms and conditions.

Please note if your entry does not comply with the terms they will not be included in the draw.

You can watch the draw LIVE on our Facebook page – ICONIC COMPETITIONS – We will use the Facebook page for updates and further competitions so please follow our page.

COMPETITION RULES The Live draw will be held on the ‘ICONIC COMPETITIONS’ Facebook page. Any updates will be VEHICLE SPECIFICATIONS posted on there and our Instagram 2016/16 Mercedes-AMG GT S @ICONICOMPS so please like Coupe in Magnetite Black. and follow to stay up to date. All Covered only 13,500 miles entries will be allocated a random from new and cost nearly number(s) when they enter and £150,000 when new. will also receive a confirmation email with all the details and their AMG Performance Seats number(s) included on competition • AMG Performance Steering of entry.

TERMS & CONDITIONS wheel in full Dinamica The live draw takes place on Visit website for full terms • AMG Night Package Sunday 6th September at 8PM. and conditions: https://iconic• Keyless Entry The date the competition starts is competitions.com/product/ • Keyless Go Wednesday 5th August at 8PM and mercedes-amg-gts/ 4 Send your experiences and weblinks to stayconnected@spotgraphics.co.uk

COMPETITION

“ I floated the idea on social media and the response was crazy. It was obviously worth pursuing but whatever I did had to be legal and not affect my credibility in the town.”

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BUSINESS

Dive into Lawrence Down Financial Planner | Lester Brunt Wealth Management Senior Partner Practice of St. James’s Place Wealth Management Dickens House, 15 West Borough, Wimborne Minster, Dorset, BH21 1LT t: 01202 695801 m: 07967 000275 l.down@sjpp.co.uk www.lesterbrunt.co.uk

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Pedestrian as they can appear, dividends end up doing much of the work for long-term equity investors. UK dividends reached a record £99.8 billion in 2018 – a record high.1 Yet even in a good year, dividends can appear unexciting – at best, they offer only a few pence on the pound. Then there are the lean years, when a company might not pay anything at all; in the aftermath of the financial crisis, several major banks simply couldn’t afford to. Even if they do pay out, the impact of dividends on your total capital barely seems to move the dial – in the short term.

Yet over the long term something miraculous begins to happen, something that Albert Einstein reportedly named as man’s greatest invention and called “the eighth wonder of the world”.2 That something is compound interest; and reinvesting dividends achieves a similar effect. The power of compounding lies in the exponential rate at which it

increases the value of the initial capital sum over time.

It certainly pays off. Data provided by Morningstar/Ibbotson shows that, between 1926 and 2009, share price appreciation on the S&P 500 averaged 5.47% per year, while dividends delivered 4.13% per year. In short, dividends delivered more than 40% of the total return for investors.3 One of the more remarkable implications of this compoundingvia-dividends effect is that a temporary fall in the share price can in fact have a silver lining. So long as the company continues to pay a dividend, then the shareholder who reinvests his or her next payment will receive a greater number of shares as a result. Not only does this help to balance out the loss in capital value, it also means the investor is effectively buying up more shares when they are cheaper; yet doing so without committing fresh capital.

As for the size of dividends themselves, figures published in 2017 by Barclays Capital show that dividend growth has remained relatively sustained

Send your experiences and weblinks to stayconnected@spotgraphics.co.uk

BUSINESS

dividends since World War II. Five-year growth only dipped briefly into negative territory in the aftermath of the tech bubble – growth even persisted in the aftermath of the global financial crisis.4 The same report shows that, had you invested £100 across UK stocks in 1899, but without reinvesting the income, then, in inflation-adjusted terms, you would end up with £195.

If, on the other hand, you had reinvested all the dividend income generated, the figure would be £32,051.5 In short, dividends are far more than a seasonal bonus. Over the long haul, they can even end up doing most of the work.

If you have any questions or Financial Planning requirements, please contact Lawrence for a no obligation meeting on 07967 000275.

------------------------------------------

“ UK dividends reached a record £99.8 Billion in 2018 a record high”

1 https://www.linkassetservices.com/ourthinking /uk- dividend-monitor-q4-2018 2 It is far from clear that he said either of these things, but they have been attributed to him for decades 3 http://business.time.com/2010/02/08/ dividends-vs-capital-gains-which-is-better/ 4 & 5 Barclays Equity Gilt Study 2017, page 145 © S&P Dow Jones LLC 2019; all rights reserved

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MARKeTING

MARKETING IN THE NEW WORLD HOW BUSINESSES CAN USE GEO-FENCING WHEN SOCIAL DISTANCING IS OVER

I’ve been asked to write this article on Geo-fencing so that you will hopefully have at the end of it a good idea of what geofencing is and how it can help in your business.

Geo-fencing is like the new kid on the block and is increasing in its popularity as more and more marketers and business owners learn about it. The No.1 player in the market is Google and in essence, Geo-Fencing is - Mobile marketing.

Not marketing to people’s mobiles, but rather using their mobiles to track where they are geographically.

This form of marketing is an essential tool and because everyone is on their mobile these days

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you should be using this for your business. Geo-fencing, or geoframing, lets you target a unique group of people by their specific location.

Geo-fencing is a location-based service delivered via a cookie placed in your mobile phone telling businesses where you are. A virtual boundary can be set up around a real-world geographic area, known as a geo-fence. The use of a geo-fence is called geo-fencing.

It uses GPS (global positioning system), RFID (radio-frequency identification), Wi-Fi (wireless networking) or cellular data (how a smartphone accesses the internet when it is not connected to Wi-Fi) to trigger a pre-programmed action when a mobile device or RFID tag enters or exits a virtual boundary.

Why is Mobile marketing essential to success you might ask – well the statistics speak for themselves as: • 80% of internet users own a smartphone.

• Users spend, on average, about 69% of their media time on their smartphones.

• Over 50% of smartphone users grab their smartphone immediately after waking up.

• 68% of companies have integrated mobile marketing into their overall marketing strategy.

• 88% of consumers who search for a type of local business on a mobile device call or go to that business within 24 hours.

One way to look at geofencing is as an extremely advanced mobile advertising based on physical location. This technique is great for events, works in real-time, easy to customise audiences and you can go back up to 6 months in terms of collecting data. It is a direct marketing strategy which uses a smartphone to alert the person who owns the phone about an offer from a nearby business.

Step 1 – Define your fence: Geo-fence marketing is a virtual fence that traces around a location where the advertiser wants to build an audience based on their visit to that particular location.

Step 2 – Tag the audience:

Send your experiences and weblinks to stayconnected@spotgraphics.co.uk

MARKeTING Join Steve’s webinar which cover many important aspects of growing your business including new technology launched by Google, How to get more leads and sales, How to use Marketing without money strategies: http://croften.jetwebinar.com/results?affiliate_id=34ba57

Once someone enters the geofenced area, they will become part of an audience that can later be targeted with your company’s adverts.

Step 3 – Show your adverts Once your advert is live, customers will then start to see your adverts on free apps that they have on their phone. The consumer can see these ads from between 1 and 30 days after they have entered the geofenced area.

Businesses can use this in several different and exciting ways. It can add a whole new dimension to your analytics that can be quickly and easily unlocked using location-based mobile marketing.

For instance, you can bring your data to life with real-world context.

Visualising your data on a map provides a new perspective from which you can derive new insights.

Location and time are critical elements of mobile marketing and with geofencing mobile apps can drive engagement with real-time.

Geo-fencing works because you can create a virtual fence around a

certain location in which you’d like to market. Therefore, when people turn on their phone’s location services (GPS), your geofencing campaign can communicate with then when they are in your ‘fenced’ location. You can create your ‘fence’ as small as a local convenience store or as large as the city of London – it’s up to you.

Geo-fencing also works because people are attached to their mobile phones and use them all the time.

They actually want location-based marketing and statistics show that 80% of people say they want alerts from business and are willing to share their location if they get something good in return.

We are used in business to targeting an audience and knowing where your audience likes to spend their time and with geofencing, you can take it a step further and target them where they already are – on their smartphones and tablets.

Benefits include: • Increased foot traffic to your physical store < BACK TO CONTENTS

• Increase web traffic on your website • Improved customer service • Happier customers and increased referrals • Integrated social sharing to improve brand awareness • Rising above your competition An example of geo-fencing is if you’re attending an industry-related conference, you might want to geo-fence the conference location.

Why? Because the people attending the conference are obviously already interested in your industry and are more likely to positively respond to your marketing messages.

Another example could be - Let’s say you own a Golf Club. You put a geo-fence around every other golf club in your catchment area and then start advertising to everyone in your catchment area who plays golf.

What is there not to like.

Want to know more from us about digital marketing, or geofencing? Drop me a line.

Steve Mills

www.stevemills.co

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readers

How has lockdown Been for you?

some people love being in lockdown while others are struggling so we caught up with our readers wh share their lock experiences

How lockdown has affected my Business Ever since I started my business running an online health and wellness company, I have always worked from home. I chose this business model initially because it allowed me to generate an income around the commitments of my three children. For me it was incredibly important to find an opportunity that would allow for such flexible working hours along with no pressure or targets.

When lockdown commenced I will admit it threw me into a spin!

The sudden onset of homeschooling for my eldest became my sole responsibility as well as playing childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s entertainer for my preschooler twins. No one had anytime to plan for a contingency plan around effectively running a business and the added pressures of intense homeschooling.

So suddenly my ability to concentrate on growing my business

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Charlotte Lock, Bournemouth became somewhat limited!

Suddenly everyone in lockdown became heavily invested in their health and so our enquiry levels and volume were at an all time high!

So I had to make up the extra hours after the children had gone to bed every single night just to keep up with the demand.

My team got to work, we grafted

and remained consistent on social media every single day and June was our highest volume on record!

We had more promotions within our team than weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ever had and we have enjoyed welcoming more people to the team who ordinarily would be working but due to Covid found themselves furloughed or without a job.

A large part of what I do is helping new starters to launch their business doing what I do and mentoring them to success.

People who would normally be working suddenly needed an opportunity to generate an income from home. So one observation I made throughout the team was that the new starters were resourceful.

They saw an opportunity to start something new and exciting and utilised their time off to start their own home based business.

One lady on the team for

Send your experiences and weblinks to stayconnected@spotgraphics.co.uk

readers example, previously owned her own beauty salon.

She suddenly found herself without an income so quickly turned her hand to something new.

Having made such a success of it, she has now decided to quit the demanding hours of the salon and go mobile, freeing up her time to work this side hustle with more intensity.

That for her is truly life changing.

I guess thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why I love what I do.

The products and their results as well as the opportunity to earn from this business can be truly life changing.

So when the children are all back at school (my twins start in September) I will have well and truly weathered the storm.

If I can cope with juggling homeschooling and running a thriving business, I can cope with anything!

F ollow Charlotte: facebook. com/thebournemouthwrapgirl thebournemouthmum https://youtu.be/TZUOHEjrarw

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READERS

>How has lockdown Been for you? (cont) MAUREEN LEGG, Devon

I

’m mostly a positive person always trying to look on the bright side of things - until lockdown; then it all changed.

Suddenly you can’t come and go as you please; you have to ‘stay at home’. You were allowed out once a day to get some exercise but keep away from other people.

Living on my own, going out to meet people was a very important part of my day. If I met someone whilst out walking I had to avoid getting too close. If they glanced my way we would say good morning/hello, but that was all.

It was very strange.

Going to the supermarket once a week was the highlight of the week, although that was a bit of an ordeal particularly to start with.

The queuing to get in; following the arrows; avoiding getting too close to someone; I found it could be quite exhausting and was glad to get home. I’m one of those people that quite enjoy shopping and browsing round the shops, taking my time.

What I missed most was going to

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Maureen with sister Linda and grandson last summer enjoying the beach in Weymouth

stay with my two sons and their families or having them visit me. I could talk to them on the phone, see them on a video call but it’s nowhere near as good as seeing them face-to-face and giving them a hug.

I have things I enjoy doing such as reading, crosswords, jigsaw puzzles.

I also enjoy gardening and am lucky to have one and this time of year there is plenty to do. I find it very relaxing. There were times when I needed a change from that though, all those things I do on my own and

I needed to meet up with other people as well.

As the days and weeks went by it started to get to me. I’ve lived on my own now for many years and usually ok with my own company. I’ve kept myself busy doing things I like doing as well as being able to come and go as I please. But after a couple of months, the loneliness started to creep in. I was beginning to feel sad, which is not like me. Feelings I did not want to feel. I would get up in the morning and think what am I going to do today? How was it going to be any different. I can’t go on a bus anywhere which is something I would always do. Normally I would meet up with family or friends and go for a walk, coffee or occasionally have lunch out. My freedom had been taken away.

So, when a person living on their own was allowed to go and stay in a support bubble with another household it was like Christmas and birthday rolled into one. It gave me a huge lift.

I just hope and pray there is not another rise in cases of Covid-19 and we have another lockdown.

HEALTH

CANCER and COVID What lockdown meant for some For some, the 20th March 2020 will be remembered as the day we were ordered to all stay home, for others it will be remembered as the day their life was changed forever.

For cancer patients, both newly diagnosed and those already under a treatment pathway, it became a real life threatening situation. Can I get the treatment I need? Where will I have to travel to get it? Will my surgery go ahead? Will my chemotherapy have to stop?

For many, the only real pressure on them was to just stay home to keep safe from COVID-19, maybe adapt to working from home, become a ‘teacher’ to support their children’s home learning, or protect and look after a loved one....most of us did these things but for some they had all this to deal with as well as navigating the world of oncology.

At the best of times, this type of life changing diagnosis can affect the patient and their loved ones in so many ways and with the NHS working flat out to help the Covid crisis, many cancer patients were told their surgery would

have to wait, they’d face fewer radiotherapy fractions to limit the time needed to be in hospital, but no real understanding if fewer treatments would be as effective, some would have to pause the immunotherapy drugs that have been keeping them feeling well and controlling their cancer and what would that do to do their

disease in the longer term? Private hospitals were commandeered by the NHS so even patients with Private Health Insurance were unlikely to be treated differently to NHS Patients. There were no privileges, every patient would be treated based on clinical necessity and urgency.

Its important to recognise the impact lockdown has had as on patients and their families, whether they are newly diagnosed, awaiting diagnostics or < BACK TO CONTENTS

had treatment delayed or altered, it’s been a truly unprecedented experience and one we hope doesn’t have to be endured again.

The NHS has worked tirelessly and with improved relationships with private insurers and home providers many have been able to continue with essential treatments and have these administered from home and even from pop up chemo suites within closed down leisure centres .

Lockdown has forced the world of oncology to look at how we treat cancer and in some ways it has improved the patient journey by delivering care at home and in safer environments. If we learn anything at all from lockdown, remember to always be kind, you may never know what someone is really going through. For all those undergoing treatment or starting your treatment we wish you every success in your fight against cancer and to those who have sadly lost their battle we wish your families and loved ones strength and love.

For support contact: https:// www.macmillan.org.uk/

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relationships

Rapid Transformational Therapy An emotional time: can therapy can help separating coupleS cope with divorce better?

Breaking up is hard to do. Separating from a long-term partner or spouse is even harder, unleashing a tsunami of emotions that you may not be prepared for. When you decide to separate for good, you can turn to your lawyer for legal help, no problem.

But what about emotional support?

Family lawyer Rita Gupta saw her clients needing emotional support that she as a family lawyer couldn’t give. So, she teamed up with registered therapist Emma Buckell to see if Rapid Transformational Therapy (RTT) could help.

RTT to the rescue RTT is recognised as one of the most successful methods for bringing about permanent changes - and remarkably quickly too. RTT focuses on identifying the root of the issues that are hiding in your subconscious. These underlying issues can affect your ability to manage your emotions in challenging situations. As a result, your

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self-interpretation or beliefs could be dragged down, resulting in negative thoughts. RTT reframes these beliefs into a positive and energised mindset.

Through divorce and beyond Finding the right help during separation is crucial, as Emma explains:

“The emotional impact of untying the bond with a partner doesn’t disappear once documents are filed.

Life, as you know, it has changed, and you have to find your new normal.

This can leave you feeling raw and vulnerable. With RTT, you can tap into your inner coping skills and become a stronger, happier person.”

As a busy family lawyer, Rita sees how some clients need a high level of emotional support that she simply cannot give.

“Some clients rely on their lawyer as their counsellor, which just doesn’t work either professionally or personally. It also takes up a lot of time better spent focusing on your

Rita Gupta Director, LGFL Ltd Tel: 01189 735521 www.lgfamilylawyers.co.uk

case with your lawyer. When you invest in therapy, you’ll reduce your legal costs, as you are not looking to your lawyer to give you life advice.

Therapy can help with measured decision making and focus during a process that inevitably involves high levels of emotion.”

Change yourself, change your life If you’re feeling swamped by unwanted emotions during your separation, take the time to get to the root of the issues and to address them fully. A combination of an empathetic family lawyer and emotional support from an RTT therapist could make it all easier to deal with, and secure a better outcome. b Emma Buckell is a registered RTT therapist and the founder of the Cleanse My Mind clinic in London. Email emma@cleansemymind.co.uk or call the clinic on 07956 115 384

Send your experiences and weblinks to stayconnected@spotgraphics.co.uk

relationships “ With RTT, you can

tap into your inner

coping skills and

become a stronger,

happier person.”

RTT < BACK TO CONTENTS

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TRENDING NOW

T A H W One of the largest selling sports equipment through lockdown has been the Stand Up Paddleboards (SUP) – many sold out and they were hard to get hold of unless you wanted to pay a small fortune to get an expensive one.

I decided to see for myself why everyone has been going bonkers for this new leisure activity.

Having gone down the cheap route and ordered a ‘Groupon’ paddleboard last year for only £180 I was very excited to test it out, only to discover it was cheap for a reason. It bent when you stood on it and was too narrow and short at only 10ft. Fine if you are a light weight teenager but at 5ft8 and over 10 stone,

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I could not stand up and spent the entire time in the water.

So this time I decided to upgrade and tested out the ‘Red’ inflatable Paddleboard size 10’6” (www.redpaddleco. com £859). It was easy to pump up and with easy to follow instructions on the valve, I was relieved it didn’t take long to setup. It was much easier to stand up and you couldn’t tell it was inflatable.

I tried very hard to look cool as I walked along the beach but I was beaten back by the wind and struggled to walk like I was in Baywatch.

I wondered to myself – how do people make this look so effortless as I got battered by waves getting out far enough to pull myself up to my knees before falling straight in the sea. I realised quite quickly I

should really do this when the sea is calm or on a river but still enjoyed the experience.

The feeling of freedom bobbing along on the sea after lockdown was amazing. It is a good workout for your arms, as well as mindfulness for your soul. The SUP experience clears a busy or anxious mind and simply focusses all your thoughts with a sense of satisfaction when you don’t fall off and leaves no other room in your mind other than staying on the board.

Sorted Surf shop by Boscombe Pier hire out SUPs for £15 for 30 mins so it is worth getting a lesson or testing it out before purchasing.

For more information visit: www.redpaddleco.com and www.sortedsurfshop.co.uk

Send your experiences and weblinks to stayconnected@spotgraphics.co.uk

?

P SU

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TRENDING NOW

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FITNESS

H C I H W ?

T U O K R WO CLICK THE IMAGES BELOW for TASTER fitness videos Bootcamp

BELLY DANCING

Here’s an example of one Train Elite’s bootcamps from their positivity group. If you would like to get involved go to https://www.facebook.com/trainelite robcooke/posts/1376416529234183

The NHS released many different fitness videos including Belly dancing for beginners https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/nhs-fitness-studio/ belly-dancing-for-beginners/

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Send your experiences and weblinks to stayconnected@spotgraphics.co.uk

FITNESS

Main photo courtesy of Abbie Curtis.

Follow her fitness and nutrition advice on https://www.facebook.com/ACBeachLife/

WAKE UP WORKOUT FOR BEGINNERS

ABS WORKOUT

This wake up video is designed to get you in the mood for the rest of the day. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/nhs-fitness-studio/ wake-up-workout/

This 10 minute abs workout focuses on strengthening and toning your stomach muscles. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/nhs-fitness-studio/ body-blast-abs/

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MUSIC

MUSIC FROM OUR HOME TO YOURS

On this page you will find some great music from local to well-known artists.

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Send in your up and coming artist links to: stayconnected@spotgraphics.co.uk

Send your experiences and weblinks to stayconnected@spotgraphics.co.uk

MUSIC band of the month – #royalbanduk – bookings@dialogmusic.co.uk

HELENA MACE – ‘unbroken’

Dorset based singer Helena is a Country/Pop Singer/Songwriter as well as a Multi Genre covers vocalist and has been performing for many years.

She was voted Global Artist of the year and Song of the Year in Canada and had 7 nominations for UK Country Radio, Female vocalist, artist and Album of the year where she was a finalist.

She is also a finalist for 3 awards in the USA as well as Europe in 2020.

Helena will be touring the UK next year so look out for her gig dates on her Facebook page HelenaMaceukSingerSongwriter. She is also an award winning original songwriter and her tracks are played worldwide.

Helena has recently promoted her third self penned album ‘Unbroken,’ which was an itunes best seller on pre-order before it was released on August 21st. Its had great reviews from radio all over the world and includes 4 top 10 itunes country hits.

All her discography is available on itunes and other download sites and limited edition CD’s are also available on this site.

Helena is available for bookings around the UK – either acoustic or backing tracks and also part of a duo. Download ‘Unbroken’... Out Now! https://www.helenamace.com/product/unbroken-coming-soon/

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H C I H

PODCASTS

W

COMEDY – ROB BECKETT & JOSH WIDDICOMBE

the good, the bad & the rugby

‘Lockdown Parenting Hell’ was our favourite this month many of us can relate to working while looking after the kids 24/7... and no break...

The return of James Haskell, Mike Tindall and Alex Payne in a brand new show. Laughter, insight, tears and great guests.

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Send your experiences and weblinks to stayconnected@spotgraphics.co.uk

PODCASTS CLICK THE LINKS BELOW for PODCAstS recommended by our readers

I wanted to share with you some of our recommended podcasts which are informative and entertaining.

Let us know what you are listening too: stayconnected@spotgraphics.co.uk

chats

graphic design

Stuck at home, Louis is using the lockdown to track down some high-profile people he’s longing to talk to – from all walks of life.

Design Matters with Debbie Millman Millmans is one of the world’s very first podcasts. Broadcasting independently for over 15 years.

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SOCIAL MEDIA

JUST FOR

FUN WITH SO MANY QUARANTINE SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS GOING ROUND WE COULDNâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T RESIST ADDING A FEW TO MAKE US GIGGLE

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Send your experiences and weblinks to stayconnected@spotgraphics.co.uk

https://dianne hales.com/mo na-lisaslatest-adventur e-a-covid-birt hday/

SOCIAL MEDIA

Send in your funnies to: stayconnected@spotgraphics.co.uk < BACK TO CONTENTS

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TRADITIONAL RECIPIES

Leigh Bourne shares a traditional recipe:

#thevictoriancottage

BEEF, ALE & PORCINI MINI PIES makes 3

must have a pie. s cannot exist e presence of a pie’ id Mamet

‘We must have a pie.

Stress cannot exist Beef, Ale & Porcini Mini Pie in the presence of a pie’ you dont like a pie then something is seriously wron Beef, Ale & Porcini Mini Ifmeat Pies pie or a light and delicate vegetable pie the poss David Mamet

If you dont like a pie then something is seriously wrong, whether its a rich These mini pies are perfect for one if your greedy like meat pie or a light and delicate vegetable pie the possibilities are endless!

and porcini filling in a rich, unctuous gravy all wrapp golden pastry.

These mini pies are perfect for one if your greedy like me, soft tender beef and porcini filling in a rich, unctuous gravy all wrapped up in a perfect golden pastry.

Preheat your oven

1kg lean casserole steak or beef

Put all the beef int to coat, shake off a in batches until bro large casserole dish pan, brown off the onions and add the with the beef.

for the filling

Preheat your oven to 150 degrees celsius.

1kg lean casserole steak or beef

p e p pinto e r ) the seasoned flour Put all the beef to coat, shake off any excess and fry off smoked bacon lardons in batches until browned, transfer to a large casserole dish. the 15 b a b y oIn nio n s same frying pan, brown off the lardons and baby 1 x 330ml bottle of guinness onions and add these to the casserole or stout with the beef.

plain seasoned flour (salt and pepper) smoked bacon lardons 15 baby onions 1 x 330ml bottle of guinness or stout 500ml beef stock 20-30g dried porcini mushrooms 1 tsp oregano 2 sprigs thyme 1 sprig rosemary 1 tbsp worcester sauce 1 tbsp tomato puree m re cip es fro

for the filling

plain seasoned flour (salt and

500ml beef stock

Deglaze the pan with the Guinness, To the casserole di 20-30g dried porcini make sure you get all the brown bits stock, the chopped mushrooms from the bottom of the pan, transfer this liquid, herbs, worc purée and a good p to the casserole.

1 tsp oregano pepper.

2 sprigs thyme To the casserole dish, add in the beef Stir through and br stock, the chopped soaking 1 s p r i g porcini r o s e m a r and y liquid, herbs, worcester sauce, tomato Cover and place in t b s p pinch w o r c eof s t esalt r s a and u c e black stirring halfway thr purée and a 1good pepper.

1 tbsp tomato puree

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Once cooked leave

Stir throughs and a l t & bring g r o u nto d bthe l a c kboil. pepper Cover and place in the oven for 2 hours stirring halfway through.

Once cooked leave to cool completely.

salt & ground black pepper

DOWNLOAD Leigh’s victorian cottage RECIPE BOOK: th e r ia n v ic toa g e c o tt

Deglaze the pan wi make sure you get from the bottom of to the casserole.

https://issuu.com/waterside10/docs/recipes_from_the_ victorian_cottage-issuu

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15

PLANT BASED RECIPE

courgette a la jackfruit Ingredients (serves 2) 6 courgettes 2 tins cherry tomatoes Juice of 2 lemons 1 red chilli sliced 1 tsp garlic salt 1 tsp cayenne (or more depending on heat) 1 tsp ground coriander Handful of chopped coriander 1 tin jackfruit in water

Benefits

This nutrient rich, extremely tasty, very low calorie dish is great for weight loss, contributes to healthy digestion, may help towards lowering your blood sugar levels and may improve heart health.

Method In a large deep pan add your chilli, tinned cherry tomatoes, lemon juice and herbs, pop the lid on and slowly simmer for 8 minutes.

While this is simmering get your ‘courgettie’ prepared... I use the back of a julienne peeler and find this more effective than a spiralizer but you can use whatever you prefer.

Drain your jackfruit and either with your fingers or a knife ‘shred’ it apart so it is very thin and almost resembles tuna or crabmeat. (You can do this dish without jackfruit it is delicious on its own – or with your own choice of plant based foods – e.g. falafel etc) Add your ‘courgettie’ to the tomato mix. stir and simmer again for a further 6 minutes.

Now add your jackfruit and cook for a further 3 minutes. I always season with some pink Himalayan salt and black pepper.

I serve mine with a watercress salad and avocado.

DOWNLOAD YOUR IMMUNE BOOSTING PLANT-BASED RECIPE BOOK NOW: www.recipesforvitality.com

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GARDEN TRENDS

TURF WAR Why artificial grass is winning the turf war with dog owners and becoming the pawfect match

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GARDEN TRENDS

T

he benefits of pet ownership for health and wellbeing are welldocumented, and more and more dogs are becoming our everyday heroes.

Spending time with your pet can help lift moods and offer consistency in uncertain times.

Dogs are helping to reduce loneliness and lower anxiety levels; they provide daily structure for people whose days may lack fulfilment. Exercise and being outdoors even if just in the garden has been a key message, particularly over the last few months, with dogs playing their part in giving people a purpose to get out and about for regular walks. They receive big screen debuts and regularly feature on our TV screens from winning talent shows, to performing rescues on mountain tops or out at sea, all this combined with their ever insistence on cuddles and affection with unconditional loyalty has given them their well-deserved title of Man Best Friend.

Dogs do come with a certain amount of unwanted mess and

sometimes an element of untimely fun and this is not without its frustration. Muddy paws straight in from the back garden, well-worn doggie tracks up and down your prize lawn as they alert you to the fact the neighbours cat has just rested on dads newly roofed shed. Their inherent need to dig holes often to hide the shoe that they are sure you had meant to give them before you left for the shops. The winter months can bring additional challenges as the weather changes and heavy rainfall makes areas of the lawn no go areas as they become boggy and form unwelcome puddles. Which is why many dog owners are opting for the ease of an artificial lawn.

Nothing takes the edge of a much-deserved weekend with family and friends than a long list of jobs for the garden stretching before you on a Friday night. Mowing the lawn avoiding the trench Shep dug during lockdown, filling in the aforementioned holes, sprinkling seeds to fill in bald patches and the repeated trips to the outdoor tap to fill up the

watering can and attend to burnt patches (also created by man’s best friend).

The UK leading artificial grass company Namgrass are nuts about mutts and among their large selection of grasses they have created “Barking” an artificial grass developed with the needs of dog owners in mind. The grass is designed, developed and manufactured exclusively by Namgrass with great attention to detail and a terrier tenacity towards quality.

Barking grass is formulated using yarn that increases durability and is perfect to withstand the pounding and high usage that four excited paws brings. Pups cannot dig through this tough turf and doggy mess is no bother, just simply hose off, allowing you long lazy weekends with no maintenance just quality time with family, friends and of course …your pooch.

Namgrass will be attending Dogstival on 5th and 6th September.

For more information visit https://www.namgrass.co.uk/

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HEALTH

RED HEART FUND Stay Connected Magazine met Raksha Peters who runs Red Heart Fund in Boscombe.

She specialises in treating the Lymphatic system to help the body drain the protein build up.

The treatment she gave me was very relaxing and everything she said made sense. If Lymph glands are stimulated by massage then surely this can help the body get back to it’s natural balance, especially if you combine it with eating the right foods to balance your PH. Raksha helps people with various illnesses including Lymphoedema which is a long-term (chronic) condition that causes swelling in the body’s tissues. It can affect any part of the body, but usually develops in the arms or legs.

It develops when the lymphatic system does not work properly. The lymphatic system is a network of channels and glands throughout the body that helps fight infection and remove excess fluid.

Who’s affected Lymphoedema is thought to affect more than 200,000 people in the UK. Primary lymphoedema is rare and is thought to affect around 1 in every 6,000 people. Secondary lymphoedema is much more common.

Secondary lymphoedema affects around 2 in 10 people with breast cancer, and 5 in 10 people with vulval cancer. About 3 in every 10 people with penile cancer get lymphoedema.

If you want to book in for a natural treatment with Raksha or a chat so she can tell you more then call her at Red Heart Fund on 01202 242101 or follow her on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Red-HeartFund-131705616879638/

Symptoms of lymphoedema The main symptom of lymphoedema is swelling in all or part of a limb or another part of the body. It can be difficult to fit into clothes, and jewellery and watches can feel tight. At first, the swelling may come and go. It may get worse during the day and go down overnight.

Without treatment, it will usually become more severe and persistent. Other symptoms in an affected body part can include: – an aching, heavy feeling difficulty with movement – repeated skin infections – hard, tight skin – folds developing or w art-like growths developing – fluid leaking through the skin

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LOCAL START UP

GOOD FOR the sole

Download our fitting gauge now and get ready for back to school Stay Connected Magazine catches up with Lincoln New as he launches his new website www.termfootwear.com Lincoln and Sharon New, based in Christchurch, Dorset, have joined together with experienced UK designers to make shoes and boots with great comfort, design and fit, that let kids get on with their day to learn and play.

The base of the shoes are polyester mesh made from

50% recycled water bottles. This woven material is breathable and moisture wicking. This maintains natural body temperature and avoids the growth of bacteria which can cause skin problems. A special antimicrobial treatment also keeps feet clean, dry and smelling fresh every day.

Term stands out because they focus on fashionable design and good fit. They make shoes which children of all ages want to wear from the moment they try them < BACK TO CONTENTS

on. Parents like Term for excellent quality and comfort, suitable for young feet to grow healthily and beautifully.

Sole Buddy have designed a world first, downloadable on-line fitting gauge to use in the safety of your own home. It is easy to use and fun to construct with your child.

Avoid the masked queues and order online today with 10% discount through Stay Connected Magazine at https://termfootwear. com/discount/SCmagazine

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