HullMag Issue No.97 January 2023

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Welcome to the January 2023 edition of the magazine - I would like to wish all our readers, advertisers and contributors a very happy, healthy and prosperous New Year - I hope that you are all keeping well and are now looking forward to the new year - it is going to be very tough for everyone with the current cost of living crisis and the state of the world that we live in. I don’t ever remember things been as bad as they are now - please use the local businesses, shops, tradesmen and services that advertise in the magazine - it really does help our local economy, the local employment situation and ultimately the planet when you do.

We have an interesting and varied range of topics in this edition for your enjoyment ranging from Spring Weddings and the top Honeymoon destinations for 2023 to a New Year/New You feature that covers many varied topics. In the House & Home feature we take a look at renovations and period properties. We also have our usual round up of all the New Books to read this month. Roy Woodcock takes a look at road trips in his Motoring Column

We have our regular Gardening column with Patrick White who takes a look at Snowdrops. The Food & Drink section has a great Vegan recipe for you to cook up if you have joined in the Veganuary month. We also have our regular Wine Column with Roy Woodcock who relays the latest wine news and takes a look at the best wine buys currently available. We also have a very informative article about the Menopause. As usual we finish off with Fiona Dwyer’s ‘food for thought’

Until next month take care and look after each other

Jane Editor

Magazine Team

Managing Director: Nic Gough. Sales Director & Editor: Jane Gough.

Advertising Sales: Heather Mapplebeck. Distribution Manager: Phil Hiscott. Finance Manager: JP Kinnersley.

Designers: Mervyn King, Adam Jacobs. Photography: Clash Pix.

Contributors: Fiona Dwyer, Roy Woodcock, Chris Warkup, Rebekah Robinson, Jenny Watson, Frances Lindley, Patrick White.

© Dalton Spire Limited 2023.

All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be used or reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. All information contained in this magazine is for information only and is as far as we are aware, correct at the time of going to press.

We cannot accept any responsibility for errors or inaccuracies in such information. Readers are advised to contact advertisers directly with regards to the price of products and/or services, referred to in this magazine.

8 Renovation Costs You Might Not Have Factored In

If you’ve ever undertaken any renovation work, you’ll know most projects end up going over budget, however carefully you manage the job. Even with a sensible contingency fund, extra expenditure can creep in to disrupt even the best-laid plans.

But what exactly are these extras and how can you preempt them? Here are a few of the surprising hidden costs of renovation work for which you may want to budget.

Dehumidifiers or heaters

If you’re plastering a large area of wall or having a new screed floor poured, you’ll probably have to hire a dehumidifier or heater to remove the excess moisture in the air and help with the drying process.

These can be hired by the day, so, depending on the time of year you undertake the work and the drying speed of the plaster or screed, this cost can be anything from a couple of days hire to a few weeks, plus the electricity running cost.

It won’t be a huge amount, but it’s something that can get forgotten in the initial budget.

Refinishing internal carpentry

Another unexpected knock-on effect of replastering large areas or working with wet materials, where you raise the humidity levels throughout the house, can be that internal doors swell up and need to be rehung.

Factoring in a carpenter to refit or rehang internal doors or make small adjustments is another cost that may not be on your spreadsheet, but might be worth keeping in mind at the planning stage.

Your electricity bill

If you’re undertaking extensive renovation work for a period of months, you may need to budget for your electricity bill to rise during this time.

With power tools being plugged in and recharged constantly, and several trades working on the house at the same time, you’ll be drawing on your power supply much more than usual. It might seem like an incidental, but if you allow for this before you start, you won’t be caught out by it halfway through.

Rubbish disposal

You might have factored in a skip at the end of your project, but it’s a rare renovation that creates less

waste than planned. Most projects result in large amounts of rubbish and this will need to be disposed of safely, which can add on extra pennies at the very end of your project when funds are low.

Skips aren’t cheap, so if you end up needing to hire more than one, it could add to your overspend. It’s best to consider this at the planning stage and budget for a larger skip than you think you need, or for someone to come and collect the rubbish at a couple of points during the project.

A deep clean

It’s incredible how far dust can travel when heavy renovation work or demolition is taking place elsewhere in the house. You can keep all the internal doors and windows closed, but more often than not you’ll find yourself shaking dust out of curtains and bedding in rooms away from where the work’s taking place.

If you’re living on site, you can keep on top of this on a daily basis while the project’s ongoing. However, you might want to factor in some budget for a deep clean of carpets and textiles at the very end of the job to return your house to normal once the builders have left.

Patching up paintwork

High-traffic areas, such as hallways, can take a bit of abuse during renovation work, with lots of people walking through each day and ladders and tools being carried

in and out.

As such, you might need to set aside a bit of cash for redecoration once the work’s complete. Even if it’s just patching up small chips in woodwork and giving walls a fresh coat of paint, keep in mind you’ll need a little pot of money for this.

Replacement carpet in adjacent rooms

Carpet can sometimes be damaged in adjoining rooms to those where the work is taking place. If you’re moving internal walls around, carpet may have to be cut, for example, or if you have lots of people walking though a hallway to get to the room where work is being done, carpet can get damaged and need professionally cleaning or replacing.

Laying down carpet protector film can help, but dirt has a way of finding its way around even the best protection, so keep this in mind when budgeting for cleaning costs at the end of the work.

Garden reboot

Building work can have a big impact on adjoining outside areas, as skips, machinery and materials all have to go somewhere while work is ongoing. Footpaths and patio areas will have lots of extra footfall, too, so expect your garden to sustain a bit of damage.

Once the work is complete, you can take stock of the garden, but it’s worth keeping a bit of money aside in case you need to fix fencing,

Are you planning a revovation in 2023 and want to avoid those hidden renovation costs that creep in unexpectedly? Then read on…

7 REASONS WHY PERIOD HOMES ARE PERFECT FOR MODERN LIVING

Our resident features writer is a fellow fan and here, Jenny Watson – interiors stylist, author and Victorian-terrace-dweller –waxes lyrical on the qualities of Victorian and Edwardian homes, and why they still reign supreme for modern-day living.

Superior storage space: While some rooms within new builds can struggle to accommodate even the basic furniture they require, never mind offering any built-in storage, the Victorians and Edwardians approached things somewhat differently.

Although many houses have lost their traditional pantries, you’ll often find the original purposebuilt cupboards – fitted into alcoves, under stairs or in wider hallways – have survived decades of refurbs, because they offer invaluable spaces to stash all manner of stuff.

Generous master bedrooms: According to the National Bed Federation, opting for the biggest bed you can fit in your room –ideally at least a king-size for a couple – is one of the best ways to ensure a better night’s sleep (a standard double provides a

mere 2ft 3in of sleeping space per person which is, by scale, less room than a baby has in a cot).

Although some newbuild properties may have more equallysized bedrooms, the compromise is usually that both of them are smaller, meaning a standard Victorian terrace will usually offer that bit of extra space in the main boudoir for families and couples.

Better height and light: If the lockdown taught us anything, it’s how claustrophobic our homes can make us feel if they’re lacking in space, and ceiling heights are an important factor in that mix. When square footage carries a premium, even a relatively small room can be lifted if it’s lucky enough to have a decent ceiling height and generous windows, both of which tend to come as standard with older

properties. This not only tricks the eye into perceiving the space to be bigger; it can also help with air circulation, leading to a healthier and happier home.

Versatile layouts: The ways we use our Victorian and Edwardian homes have changed drastically from their first residents a century or so ago, and they offer surprising versatility. With the traditional terrace layout of a front sitting room, dining space in the middle and kitchen at the back, there’s usually scope to make significant alterations that improve the size and flow of these spaces, and without feeling like you’re simply ‘living’ in a kitchen (as can be the case in modern apartments).

Side returns – fairly redundant today – are ripe for extensions to offer a larger and sociable kitchen/ dining experience, whilst still retaining a fully separate sitting space at the front of the house.

If your home doesn’t already them, consider installing double doors between the living and dining areas, allowing you to switch between fully open-plan living or more separate enclosed spaces. The optimal mix of privacy and flexibility as your needs change throughout the day.

It’s no secret round these parts that we love a good period property: so much so that we’ve made them our speciality. There’s a huge variety of Victorian and Edwardian homes in Hull, Beverley and the surrounding villages, from terraces big and small as well as large detached villas. And with their interiors made more interesting by the creativity of their owners, every property brings an element of surprise.

Bathed in light:

Often, newbuild apartments squeeze bathrooms and en-suites into internal floorspace, resulting in a property-developer-efficient, yet otherwise pretty depressing, windowless bathroom. As period homes will have had their bathing spaces retro-fitted, often these can be found in fairly generouslysized former bedrooms, whilst also benefitting from those often equally generously sized windows.

Not only is daylight hugely beneficial to our wellbeing and circadian rhythm, it can also be considered a more eco-friendly option, only requiring electricity to light the room at night or run an extractor fan when it’s too cold to crack a window open.

Going up in the world:

If you’re a city or town dweller, you won’t fail to have noticed the proliferation of loft conversions on every street in recent years.

With property prices still moving at pace, many homeowners are moving up rather than away, and a typical Victorian or Edwardian loft space is relatively easy to convert into a generous master suite, or even two beds and a bathroom if you’re strategic. And with a large loft conversion adding an average of almost 20% to property values, they offer a great bang for your buck, too.

Charm and character:

Clever decorating in a characterless newbuild can take you far, but nothing beats the charm of an older property packed with period details.

Whether purely decorative or fitted with a modern living flame fire, the fireplace still remains the heart – and centrepiece - of any intact Victorian or Edwardian sitting room, offering a natural focus for decorating and layout. And if you’re lucky, those high ceilings discussed earlier will have retained their original coving, ceiling roses and picture rails, giving the eye added interest.

You’ll usually find perfectly salvageable original floorboards lurking under any laminate or carpet, which bring inherent charm into any space. Dig a little more and you may find other treasures, too, from hidden wood-panelled walls to sections of original plaster and wallpaper. This sense of connection to the past can really help root you into your home, which – like all the best feelings – is ultimately priceless.

Jane our Editor

Shares Her Favourite Books

If you’re in need of something to read over the festive break, look no further – our editor and avid reader Jane Gough has shared her favourite books. From rom-coms to classics, music memoirs to modern masterpieces and a couple of murdermysteries, here’s what to add to your reading list…

Rachel’s Holiday by Marian

At the start of 2021, I made it my mission to read every Marian Keyes book. With the release of this year’s Again, Rachel – Keyes’s follow-up to her most famous novel, Rachel’s Holiday – the total came in at 18. As this year begins, there’s just one more I need to track down (her 2008 book This Charming Man) and I’ve loved them all. Where should you begin if you’ve not ready any of her hardhitting yet hilarious stories? The 1.5 million-copy bestseller Rachel’s Holiday turns 25 this year and is truly brilliant, tackling addiction and rehab with wit and genuinely lovable characters. I also loved Grown Ups – so much so, I raced through it in under two days. A heartening, pacey read, it follows the lives of the Johnny Casey, his two brothers Ed and Liam, their beautiful, talented wives and all their kids. They’re a happy family, but under the surface, conditions are murkier. While some people clash, others like each other a little too much. Everything stays under control until Ed’s wife, Cara, gets concussion and starts revealing secrets one by one. If you need a hit of 90s nostalgia, I have a huge soft spot for Last Chance Saloon –which came out in 1999 and follows three friends who enter their 30s with nothing to show for spending their 20s partying in London, stuck in useless relationships. If you’re looking for a fun read that isn’t afraid to focus on hard-hitting topics, Keyes is your woman.

When I first started reading this, my close friend Kaye Austin told me: “It’s the best book I’ve ever read, and I never want to read it again.” Closing the book at the end, I could see her point. A devastating read, Hanya Yanagihara’s million-copy bestseller had me crying for three weekends straight, but is handsdown one of the most life-changing reading experiences I’ve had. The story focuses on four graduates from a small Massachusetts college, who move to New York to make their way – skint, adrift and buoyed only by their friendship and ambition. There is handsome Willem, an aspiring actor; JB, a quickwitted Brooklyn-born painter seeking entry to the art world; Malcolm, a frustrated architect at a prominent firm; and withdrawn, brilliant Jude, who serves as their centre of gravity. Over the decades, their relationships deepen and darken, touched by addiction, success and pride. Yet their greatest challenge is Jude himself, by midlife a talented litigator yet an increasingly broken man, his mind and body scarred by an unspeakable childhood and haunted by a trauma that will define his life forever. I say I’m hesitant to put myself through reading the book again, but then I’ve booked tickets to see the long-awaited West End this year, so am gearing myself up to relive the intense sense of loss all over again.

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

Donna Tartt’s excellent first novel turned 30 last year –and got a celebratory new cover to mark the occasion – but its characters’ struggles and complex personalities are timeless. I read the whole thing – all 640 pages – in one weekend a few months ago and could not put it down. Set in New England, The Secret History tells the story of a closeknit group of six classics students at Hampden College, a small, elite Vermont college based on Bennington College, where Tartt was a student from 1982-86. Under

the influence of their charismatic classics professor, Julian, the group of clever, eccentric misfits discover a way of thinking and living that is a world away from the humdrum existence of their contemporaries. But when they go beyond the boundaries of morality, their lives are changed profoundly and forever. The novel is a story of two parts; the chain of events that led to the death of a classmate – and what happened next. A modern classic for a reason, this bestseller is both compelling and elegant, dramatic and playful. Her Pulitzer winner The Goldfinchis next on my list.

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout

In the last couple of years, I’ve been reading more contemporary American female authors, and after spending a lot of my 20s hooked on the novels of Brett Easton Ellis, Chuck Palahniak and Kurt Vonnegut, I’ve loved exploring a wider selection of US writers. Up there for me is Elizabeth Strout, who won Pulitzer Prizes for both Olive Kitteridge and My Name is Lucy Barton. Strout’s newest works revisit some of her most loved characters: Olive, Again follows the blunt, contradictory yet deeply loveable Olive Kitteridge as she grows older, navigating the second half of her life and coming to terms with changes – some welcome, some not – to her own existence and in those around her; and in Oh William!, Lucy Barton has become a widow and parent to two adult daughters. A surprise encounter leads her to reconnect with William, her first husband. Recalling their college years, the birth of their daughters, the painful dissolution of their marriage, and the lives they built with other people, Strout weaves a portrait of a tender, complex, decades-long partnership. I’ve also read lots of Ann Patchett. I love political drama Bel Canto, but my favourite of hers is The Dutch House, where grown up siblings Danny and Maeve Conroy are drawn back time to their old family home. Behind the mystery of their own exile from The Dutch House is the exile of their mother, whose absence more powerful than any presence they have known.

His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman

Sir Phillip Pullman is one of the UK’s greatest living writers, and his His Dark Materials fantasy series has

been a favourite of mine since Northern Lights was published in the late 90s. I re-read the original trilogy just before Pullman published La Belle Sauvage: The Book of Dust Volume

One – set a decade before readers were introduced to Lyra and Will – and the books completely held up as an adult. In 2019’s The Secret Commonwealth, readers catch up with 20-year-old Lyra as she and her dæmon Pantalaimon navigate their relationship in a way they could never have imagined, as they are drawn into the complex and dangerous factions of a world they had no idea existed. I can’t wait for the third volume to be published –I’m keeping everything crossed it’s still on track for this coming year.

The Overstory by Richard Powers

I meant to read this after it was recommended by several girlfriends. But it was only when I was lucky enough to visit the legendary Portland bookstore Powell’s last summer that I bought it, as much of the story is set in the Pacific Northwest. In The Overstory, nine strangers become summoned by trees, brought together in a last stand to save the continent’s few remaining acres of virgin forest. The story unfolds in concentric rings of interlocking fable, ranging from antebellum New York to the late 20th-century Timber Wars of the Pacific Northwest and beyond, revealing a slow and vast world alongside our own. It’s the story of a handful of people who learn how to see that world, and who are drawn up into its unfolding catastrophe. It’s extremely readable, moving and powerful in the way it’s made me think differently about the importance of nature and conservation..

All the books in this feature are available to purchase now.

Please buy your books locally and support your local bookshops and the local economy - it really does matter!

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offeredthroughour Academiesof Sport,Performing Artsandpioneering Medical,Healthand SocialCare Academy. SM6isproudofits diversity;over60languagesandnationalities represented-atrue,globallyvibrantcommunity. Accreditedforour‘exemplarypractice’asanInternational School,weofferopportunitiesforstudentstodevelop globalawarenessandrespectforjustice,peaceandthe environment.

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THINKING OF A FRESH START FOR 2023?

l How will it affect the other people in your life?

l Can you take lots of small more achievable steps to get you from where you are now to where you want to be?

l What are these steps?

l What is it you want to achieve?

ON OURSELVES?

Yes that is the case for some!

You have a whole year to create goals and make changes, so why not instead of starting your New Year’s resolution now think about what you would like to achieve in the year ahead and plan some inspirational goals for 2023?

WHAT ARE THE MAIN REASONS WE FAIL AT STICKING TO OUR RESOLUTIONS?

What a crazy time to make resolutions.

Often we are making plans while full of the festive spirit – possibly not ideal!

Winter is a time of year when many people feel less motivated and energised because of the colder weather and shorter days.

New Year’s resolutions are not thought through properly and sweeping statements are made without truly considering how keeping to them will affect other areas of life – sometimes we set goals because others have said we should. If it is not your goal it is unlikely you will stick to it.

Another issue can be in dealing with setbacks and challenges. It is helpful to consider what you will do if things don’t go to plan. Many if they go off plan once just say “I have failed” rather than recognising what they have achieved noting a minor/major hitch and getting themselves refocused.

HOW CAN WE ENSURE WE’RE BEING REALISTIC?

It is important to be realistic and take time to think changes through.

Here are some questions to think about to help you clarify what you want and how you will approach it:

Now ask yourself these questions:

l What will happen if you do?

l What won’t happen if you do?

l What will happen if you don’t?

l What won’t happen if you don’t?

So if you are sure you want to create a goal for 2019 think about your life as a whole.

l What things are important to you in the year ahead?

l Why are these important?

l What will they give you?

l Does this mean making some changes?

l What are they?

l How will this impact on your life as a whole?

l What will be the reward/pay off for achieving each step?

l When will be the best time to do these?

l What else is going on in your world that you need to consider?

l What support do you need?

l Where can you get this support?

WE OFTEN FAIL WHEN WE SET OURSELVES BIG GOALS –SHOULD THIS BE AVOIDED, OR IS THERE JUST A BETTER WAY OF APPROACHING THEM?

Big goals can seem so daunting so break it down into smaller goals

What are the steps that will lead you from where you are now to where you want to be?

HOW CAN WE AVOID FALLING INTO THE TRAP OF MAKING THE SAME RESOLUTIONS YEAR AFTER YEAR?

Don’t do it!

If you do what you have always done you will get what you have always got.

The definition of madness has been said to be doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

So if this year you want things to be different take a different approach. Maybe this year get a coach to help you achieve it or to help you understand what you can change in your thoughts and actions that will make a difference for you.

DO YOU THINK THAT IN JANUARY WE PUT TOO MUCH PRESSURE

“A journey of a thousand miles starts with just one step”

ThisyearmakeaNewYear’sResolutionyou canactuallystickto.Getyourchildsome helpsothattheycancatchupandkeepup withtheirEnglish,mathsorscience.

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Relationship Goals For 2023

New Year’s Resolutions have a tendency to be forgotten as soon as they’re made, so instead of thinking in terms of resolutions, it’s a great time to set your relationship goals for 2023.

Here are six realistic goals to consider, because doing something new can totally transform your relationship.

1.

To Be Actually Happy Together

Make sure you’re happy together, rather than just being together. “The number-one relationship goal should be for happiness with your partner,” online dating expert Cori Clark tells us. “Each partner should recognise what makes him or her happy and strive to find that element with the other as well as alone.”

Of course, happiness is going to look different for everyone - and that’s OK. The important thing is finding what works for you and not falling into complacency. Be self-reflective every day and focus on how to make it a happy relationship.

2. To Do Something New Once A Month

Adding some novelty into your relationship is a great way to keep things fresh - and it’s also a totally attainable goal. It doesn’t matter what it is, but make it new. A new restaurant, a new city, a new activity - just commit to mixing it up. “When you try new things together you are creating shared experiences that are new and exciting,” dating coach and marriage therapist Sadie Hill tells us. “That shared excitement is a way to have both closeness and stimulation, which is a great combination for sparking things back up.” A little change can make a big difference.

positive. So if your partner gets on your nerves occasionally or frustrates you, try to keep the big picture in perspective. “Researchers found that the only common trait amongst couples in long-term happy relationships was the ability to maintain positive illusions of the other,” So remind yourself why your partner, and remind yourself often.

4. To Have Regular Date Nights

over bills and choosing paint colours for walls is not going to keep your relationship fresh.” It doesn’t have to be flowers and a movie just make sure it happens.

5. To Find A Way To Give Back

It’s too easy to get introspective as a couple - but it’s important that you and your partner don’t exist in a bubble. That feeling when you’re so focused on yourself and each other that you can forget the world outside can be a dangerous one. Make sure you’re doing something to give back together. Find a cause you both care about to donate too or volunteer opportunities to take part in and make it a goal to help others. It’s good for you, good for others, and working together for a larger cause has a way of bringing people together.

6. Show Appreciation

According to career change statistics, the average person will change career five to seven times during their working life. Whether your career goals have shifted, your values have changed or you’re just ready to try something new, navigating a career change can be a daunting prospect. Here are some expert tips on what to consider when embarking on a career change, and how to secure your first job in your chosen profession.

Understand your motives

The first things to consider when planning a career change is why you want to make it and why now’s the best time to do it. Timing is everything, because it takes commitment, energy, focus and dedication to make a successful move and you need to be 100% ready to commit yourself to this process

3.

To Keep Remembering What You Love About One Another

No matter how annoyed or angry you can be with your partner - and that’s fair, nobody’s perfect - you need to able to focus on the

Date nights can make a huge difference - and they’re a totally sustainable goal. Don’t underestimate the power of setting regular time aside for just you and your partner. “This is a little cheesy, but the reality is that in long-term relationships, couples drift apart and mistake the business of taking care of a long-term relationship for romance,” York-based relationship expert Penny Jones says: “Going

I don’t know how many times I say ‘Thank you,” to my partner every day, but it’s a lot. And I hear it back a lot too. Making sure that neither of you feels taken for granted is a good way to keep your relationship happy and healthy. “Couples don’t disconnect overnight - it takes months or years, but they often stop focusing on the positives about each other.” So staying positive is doubly important.

How to approach a career change and secure your next job

Writing a short profile at the top of your CV outlining your experience and why you plan to change career. Your cover letter should complement your CV and focus on why you want this particular opportunity you’re applying for as part of your career change. If you have anything relevant to the career change such as training or academic qualifications, make sure they are visible early in your CV.

Over-prepare for interviews

Build

up a network of contacts

in the field

Talk to people about the work they do - This helps you find out whether you’d like it, but also gives you the right terminology. Meeting people face-to-face also puts you in a much stronger position to ask for advice and you might just find a mentor or sponsor for your new career.

Weigh up the pros and cons of unpaid work experience

Perhaps you’re a journalist, looking to land your first job on a national title. Whether or not you’ve been paid for your writing, having a piece published on the title you’re

hoping to write for will not only boost your byline, but could prove a great asset to show an editor, if you apply for a paid position there in the future.

Assess your transferable skills, then highlight them

Make sure your CV and covering letter show [your] skills which match the role, even if your background is unconventional. Pull apart the job spec and highlight the keywords, competencies, traits, skills and language being used. Then pull apart your experience and achievements and match them up.

Conducting some thorough research on the company you’re interviewing with could be the crucial factor that sets you apart from other candidates with more experience in the field. Celebrate your unconventional background

Celebrate your background

Talk about the ways your experience and skills are not only different but add something unusual to the mix. Come up with a compelling elevator pitch around what it is you want to do and how you feel you could add value, point out that showing commitment and being a good cultural fit for the organisation are often more important than having prior experience in a similar role.

‘While Matthews & While’ scoop for East

Yorkshire venue.

Music lovers in East Yorkshire are looking forward to a night of superb singing and musicianship, in the form of a rare performance by WHILE, MATTHEWS AND WHILE taking place in The Village Hall, Cherry Burton nr Beverley on Saturday 4 February 8pm.

Chris While and Julie Matthews are no strangers to the venue having performed there as a duo several times, but on this occasion they will be joined by Chris’ daughter Kelly While-an established singer in her own right.

The combination of the three voices together is simply sublime, their choice and arrangements of songs is often surprising but always a joy, and the humour that they share on stage is both warm and engaging. When the three of them come together, magic happens. Simply put, an opportunity to see them should not be missed.

‘While and Matthews’ have countless awards and nominations

to their name including Winners in the Best Duo category at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards and have been nominated no less than nine times for Best Duo, Best Song & Best Live Act.

Their fans include Richard Hawley, Eddi Reader and Judy Collins. James Tayloronce remarked that they have “an amazing energy” and led a standing ovation at the BBC Folk Awards when they won the Best Duo Award. Kelly While has been performing since a teenager as both a solo artist, and as part of the Albion Band, and the Reel and Soul Association alongside Thea Gilmore.

Cherry Burton Arts organiser Martin Peirson added “We are working hand in hand with ‘Hunsley Acoustic Music’ for this show- there are lots of fans of Chris, Julie and Kelly in the area, and hopefully our village hall can fit everyone in -it’s going to be an incredible night!”

Attenders should bring their own drinks and glasses. Tickets (£15) are available in advance from www.WeGotTickets. com (Cherry Burton Arts) and Costcutter Cherry Burton.

Telephone reservation /info tel: 07399 568834 or 07814 608131 email martin@peirson.karoo.co.uk

https://www.wegottickets.com/ event/552733

Roy Woodcock’s World of Wines

If you’re raising a glass to welcome in 2023 then let me be among the first (in print!) to wish you a Happy New Year. And I do hope you had the most wonderful Christmas, too.

We spend a lot of time looking back at this time of year but I wanted to look forwards to some of the wine trends being predicted for the next 12 months and have been looking at a lot of what others have been forecasting.

These are certainly interesting times for the wine market as extreme weather and global events challenge producers. But overall demand for wine remains strong, even flourishing in new and unexpected ways.

In these days of increasing concern for the environment, many are looking for wines that are certified vegan, organic, and sustainably produced, so I was interested to read a recent International Wines and Spirits Record survey that found that half of American wine consumers were positively influenced by branding and marketing which described sustainability initiatives.

Note that these initiatives do not necessarily have to directly involve the production of the wine itself. Even unrelated efforts on behalf of

Best Buys for January

Tilimuqui Malbec

Price: £7.99 (was £11.99)

Where: Waitrose

When: January 2 - 24

the environment elicited a positive response from consumers.

Certainly small-scale wineries that produce natural wines once considered fringe products are making inroads in markets previously dominated by big wine producers. According to forecasting firm Exploding Topics, global Internet searches for natural wine have increased 150 per cent over the last five years.

Interestingly, consumers generally perceive all wine as natural. The trend toward wines specifically marketed as “natural” is being driven by a segment of consumers who pride themselves on discovery, leading them to an awareness of what actually makes lowintervention wines distinct from other wines.

Traditional wine categories based on colour continue to blur as new generations of winemakers push boundaries and experiment in fresh directions. These new wines often defy conventional classifications, falling somewhere between pale red and dark rosé.

This trend dovetails well with the growing popularity of lighter, brighter red wines, especially those that lend themselves to being served lightly chilled. Think light pinot noirs, cabernet franc, dolcetto, and gamay noir.

Talking of red wine, upmarket

magazine and website Harpers had an interesting article which suggested that following an excellent 2022 harvest and an increasingly warmer climate, English red wine is one to watch.

English whites and fizz may still dominate overall production (and will do for some time) but we’re beginning to see more English reds of decent quality coming through. English Pinot Noir or field blend reds are typically elegant and bursting with red cherry notes, and tie in nicely with our newfound enthusiasm for home-grown produce.

Rosé has been a hot seller in recent years, continuing to outgrow long-time perceptions of it being a summer-only beverage. Trends within the category include the explosive growth of sparkling rosé in particular, as well as a significant increase in the prices that consumers are willing to pay per bottle.

Elsewhere, value-priced sparklers continue to drive growth in the sparkling-wine category, prompting consumers to embrace sparkling wine as an everyday drink that needn’t wait for a special occasion. You only have to see supermarket shelves, particularly at what we once regarded as the “budget” end of the market, groaning under the weight of Prosecco and Cava - and even cheap Champagne - to know this statement is not wide of the mark.

And unthinkable as it was just a few years ago it seems market research suggests the global canned wines market could grow by double digit amounts over the next few years.

Consumers increasingly demand convenience, and portable, lightweight cans deliver it. Cans can also make wine more approachable for consumers and upend misconceptions surrounding wine’s upper-crusty image.

Nice, a London-based independent wine company founded in 2019 by Jeremy May and Lucy Wright, believes that canned wine presents an opportunity to introduce wine to younger people who would otherwise be intimidated. “There are over 5,000 different wine products in supermarkets alone in the UK – the amount of choice is just completely overwhelming,” says Jeremy.

Using “simple to understand” packaging, Nice hopes to reach previously unrepresented audiences in the drinks market.

Meanwhile, another independent, The Copper Crew, founded last year in Cambridge by Oliver Purnell, Theo Gough and Sam Lambson, champions canned wine as a convenient, sustainable option. By packaging wine in recyclable cans, The Copper Crew hopes to reduce its environmental impact.

“When people open a bottle of wine at home, they’ll often end up finishing it just because it’s there, or they worry about it going off,” says Oliver. By tapping into customer psychology and drinking habits, The Copper Crew has created a product centred around ease and convenience. “Our 250ml cans are the same size as a large glass of wine in the pub,” Oliver says.

Roy

Please drink responsibly. For the facts, visit drinkaware.co.uk

Grant Burge Chardonnay

Price: £6.49 (was £9.49)

Where: Waitrose

When: January 2 - 24

Why: Several vintages have been winning awards in competitions: This wine has won the International Wine Challenge Silver award for the 2020 vintage and the 2019 vintage. Intensely rich red wine with silky smooth black fruit flavours on the palate. Best enjoyed with a juicy steak and all other types of grilled red meat.

Co-op Irresistible

Australian Shiraz

Price: £6 (was £8)

Where: Co-op

When: January 4 until March 14

Why: But it’s also perfect if you’re planning a Veganuary (Vegan January) - a dry red that’s suitable for vegetarians and vegans. The Co-op pioneered the use of vegan labelling and was the first retailer to list ingredients across its own-brand wine range. Now, 100 per cent of Co-op’s own-brand beer range is fully vegan, whilst there’s more choice than ever across its wine offer too.

Why: A subtle and delicious Australian Chardonnay - medium bodied, super fresh and very aromatic. It has a crisp finish and is a perfect accompaniment to creamy fish dishes, chicken salads, or just on its own.

Terra di Madre Organic

Unfiltered

Price: £6.50

Where: Co-op

When: Now

Why: nother from the Co-op range suitable for vegans. The unfiltered Sicilian white wine comes from the indigenous grape, Cattaratto. The wine is produced organically to promote healthy soil, plant and insect biodiversity, and grapes are harvested by hand. No additives or processing aids are used in the fermentation process leaving a cloudy appearance. The bouquet is full of lemon and citrus fruits, with a pleasant freshness and an intense minerality in the final tasting.

Veganuary: Are all wines

Many assume wine is vegan, after all it makes complete sense – it’s made from grapes! But the reality is that plenty of wines are not actually made vegan. While wine itself is completely fruit-based, production techniques used in the winery can turn a veganfriendly blend into one that vegans may want to avoid.

During the wine-making process, fining agents are often used to bring more clarity to the wine. Essentially, the fermentation process of wine leaves molecules that cause the wine to look hazy. These molecules are completely natural by-products of the wine-making process and are harmless to consume but we’ve grown accustomed to wine looking a certain way. So, winemakers tend to remove them using fining agents to create a crystal-clear wine.

Traditional fining agents include animal products – red wine uses egg

whites, while white uses milk protein. These fining agents are always removed at the end but due to the nature of wine, tiny traces of these animal products may be absorbed, making the wine unsuitable for vegans. But as the fining agents are part of the process and not additives to the wine, they often aren’t clearly listed on the label.

The future of wine

As veganism grows, alongside an increased desire for organic and biodynamic wines, wine-makers are taking note and adopting a more natural and vegan-friendly approach. If left for long enough, wines will usually self-fine, reducing the need to introduce animalbased products to the process. Alternatively, winemakers can use alternative fining agents such as clay-based ones. Natural wines are on the rise too, with more and more winemakers choosing to leave wine cloudy and untouched.

Ingredients

400g (5 cups) cubed (1½cm) aubergine (eggplant) –about 1 large aubergine sea salt

2 garlic cloves, minced 120ml (½ cup) extra-virgin olive oil

450g (3 cups) baby plum tomatoes, halved 90g (½ cup) olives – I like Gaeta or Kalamata

2 tbsp capers, rinsed and soaked if salt-packed, drained if in brine

250g (1 cup) tinned peeled plum tomatoes, crushed by hand

450g (4-5 cups) gluten-free farfalle (or gluten-free penne, ziti or fusilli)

Method

1. Place the aubergine in a colander and sprinkle all over with an abundant amount of salt. Set aside to drain, weighted down, for 1 hour. Rinse, then pat dry with kitchen paper.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat.

3. Meanwhile, in a large deep sauté pan, sizzle the garlic in the olive oil over low heat until bubbles form around it, 1-2 minutes.

4. Add the aubergine, increase the heat to medium, and shower it with some salt. Stir, adding water as needed to cook the aubergine until tender, about 8 minutes. Add the baby plum tomatoes, increase the heat to medium-high, season with salt and cook until the tomatoes soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the olives and capers. Pour in the tinned tomatoes, season with salt and cook until the sauce has thickened and the tomatoes have lost their raw flavour, about 8 minutes.

5. Once the water has reached a rolling boil, season with salt until the water tastes like a seasoned soup. Drop in the pasta and cook until it is al dente.

6. Add the pasta to the sauté pan with a few spoonfuls of the tears of the gods (pasta water). Simmer briefly to bring the flavours together and thicken the sauce. Serve garnished with basil leaves.

2023... Where will you travel and see in 2023 whilst, enjoying planning more for 2024? The world is once more your oyster. Are you a skier? Well get back out there on the slopes they are much quieter than I have ever seen before, it is simply a joy. Families or beginners look no further than Bulgaria for great value. You can even fly from Humberside. Borovets is a great resort and we know the hotels & slopes well. Pick up a late booking for this year or book now for 2024. Now for a moment of housekeeping, please take a look at your passport. Remember it is only valid for 10 years from the date of issue and many countries require 6 months validity, Europe we can enter with 3 months. Apply in good time you never know when you may see that perfect holiday then realise your passport needs renewing. Also if you travel regularly you have a 90 day maximum stay in any 180 days in European Schengen countries! Make sure you always get your passport stamped in & out. Do you have a bucket list? I do, even after over 50 years of travelling. I was amazed over dinner with fellow travellers how many do not have a bucket list but are inspired with what is offered to them. Hence a few snippets to follow which I hope will get you thinking Beach holidays are always available and may have been your type of holiday years ago but most travellers look to include new experiences. Culture, an opportunity to immerse yourself in traditions of far away places. India is one of my favourite countries along with Vietnam, Cambodia, China & Japan. India is the 7th largest country and the 2nd most populous in the world The country is broken into 28 states all of which are very different, one holiday is not enough for me but then if you are just ticking off the countries a short tour the Golden Triangle takes in many memorable sights. A guided tour starts around £1000. The book the Holy Cow written by an Australian Journalist travelling the length & breadth of India is well worth a read.

Foodies, there are now so many places you can visit in the world and enjoy shopping with a chef in local markets for fresh produce before then creating dishes that you sit down and savour. Many cruise ships offer this option but there are also lots of land based holidays where this is possible. A food highlight I experienced just a few years ago was around the city of Amsterdam sampling all of the local delights including herring before rounding off with Genever. You certainly did not need dinner that night! (photo, making ravioli in Italy!) Thrills, adventures, hobbies this is a huge area to cover, I consider all of my holidays an adventure but I am not the daring type looking for adrenalin. There many places around the world including the UK you can enjoy a thrill. Theme parks are world wide, zip lining through rain forests (it has to be done once), bungy jumping, parascending, trekking the list goes on. Just make sure your insured for any extreme sports when travelling. Combine your hobby e.g dancing, walking, photography, the list goes on. My bucket list grew a little last week when delving into Celestyal Cruises, this is more a Greek holiday rather than a cruise. An island hopping experience, only unpacking the once, via smaller ships with access to lesser known islands offering fabulous excursions. Opportunities to tick of Unesco World Heritage Sights, delve into history & religion or simply visit stunning beaches. They have created a niche just like ourselves at Marion Owen Travel I am sure this cruise line will become very popular. During January & February there are many discounts on offer - book now for 2023 & 2024 savings, some cruise lines 2025! Don’t miss out on travelling, a change is definitely as good as a rest and I would recommend a break as a great tonic. There are so many options available to travel around our wonderful world including the UK. We look forward to the opportunity of sending you away and creating wonderful memories for you to treasure in 2023 & beyond.

MARIONOWEN TRAVEL

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Our exclusive tours

27 February Springtime in Dorset

A very inclusive 5 days, super excursions £499

10 April - Luxury River Cruise £1975

7 nights all inclusive:- pick up from your door, Flights from Humberside direct to Amsterdam. For non flyers this holiday is also available via P&O North Sea Ferries 09 April for 9 nights.

05 May - A Taste of Scotland 5 days Close to Loch Lomond enjoy the finer things in life relaxation, super walks or sitting back and drinking in the scenery. £595

23 May - Seven Sea’s Splendor

9 night Regent Seven Sea’s all suite, all inclusive cruise. Sailing from Southampton

14 July - A Welsh Adventure £975

7 nights a 2 centre holiday staying in Barmouth + The Tynedale in Llandudno. A superb itinerary of seaside, canals, railways & castles.

16 September - Wild West Ireland £1165

9 Days exploring the Wild Atlantic Way of Galway & County Mayo, another adventure

07 October - the Northern Belle £495 Enjoy fine dining from Hull to Carlisle traveling on this iconic train (6.15am to 9.15pm)

22 October - 10 night cruise from £1399 Spain, Portugal & Gibraltar.

Sail with Emma aboard M/V Borealis Sailing from Liverpool - travel from your door Jersey from Humberside

Saturday’s Mid May to Mid September 2023 7 or 14 nights : Call for details Ask about Guernsey too!

It’s often billed as the most important holiday of your lives, so picking the right honeymoon for you is a decision you want to get right. There’s a huge choice of destinations - and styles of honeymoon - so you’ll need some ideas to get started.

Here, I reveal my top honeymoon destinations based on the most popular destinations along with my own recommendations.

1. The Maldives

According to the Maldives government, more than 100,000 British citizens visit this Indian Ocean archipelago every year, and it’s easy to see why. The Maldives is like nowhere else on earth – its 26 coral atolls are renowned for their powder white sand beaches and jade seas. For honeymooners there’s the allure of being castaway in paradise, but more than that, increasingly sophisticated resorts have become irresistibly romantic and indulgent with everything from underwater clubs to 24-hour spas. There’s a new slant to the Maldives that’s making it even more attractive to couples – the rise of the all inclusive, making it an incredibly affordable honeymoon given its remoteness and high standards.

Caribbean, from the steamy Latin street life of Cuba to the pristine white-sand beaches of the Dominican Republic. One of the most sought-after hotels for UK honeymooners is Anse Chastenet in St Lucia. Or you could blow the budget at Sir Richard Branson’s Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands. The Caribbean also provides numerous options for two-centre honeymoons, island hopping and cruising. It’s also one of the easiest regions for UK couples to tie the knot overseas.

less known regions – ideas include Umbria and Calabria.

For a good value summer honeymoon, I recommend the Italian Lakes – they are easy to get to, each lake has its own distinctive style and you can combine them easily with Venice. Some of the best locations are Lake Como, Lake Maggiore and lesser-known Lake Iseo.

hotels. That has changed totally with the arrival of some superb resort hotels that are very popular with honeymooners. The Indian Ocean island has loads going for it. From the UK, it’s a direct overnight flight with minimal jet lag. It works well at any time of year, and can easily be combined with a safari in South Africa. There’s also increasing interest in the ecological side of Mauritius. Beyond the beaches - which are fabulous - you’ll find mountains, forests and tropical gardens.

3. Greece

Greece has enjoyed something of a renaissance over recent years in terms of stylish accommodation. Add to that its accessibility and the natural beauty of its mainland and islands, and you have a strong honeymoon contender. The dramatic island of Santorini comes top of many honeymoon wish lists with slick boutique hideaways like Grace Santorini. Paxos is a lazy delight.

5. Thailand

Thailand remains an exotic destination for UK couples and in its favour are high standards of service and relatively affordable long-haul prices. Most couples either combine the capital, Bangkok, with a trip down south to islands like Koh Samui or Phuket or head north to the culturally rich heartlands of Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai with everything from elephant treks to cookery schools. You may also want to consider neighbouring Cambodia and Vietnam.

6. Mauritius

4. Italy

2. The Caribbean

With guaranteed sunshine and direct flights from across the UK, the Caribbean offers all-inclusive deals, boutique one-offs and special treatment for newlyweds. It’s an obvious choice for a winter honeymoon but also great value in spring and summer. One of the best times to visit is the low season between Easter and July, which also happens to be wedding season in Britain.

There’s so much variety in the

Italy is hard to beat for old-school romance. It’s no surprise that the number one honeymoon in Italy is the Amalfi Coast with its picturesque towns and villages including Minori, Ravello and Sorrento. The hotels along this coastline are among the most stylish and romantic in Europe. For a short blast of romance and culture, I’d go to Venice, particularly if you can avoid the peak summer months. Venice is particularly beautiful in winter without the crowds. In summer, you could go off the beaten track to some of Italy’s

Mauritius was once known as a five-star destination with three-star

7. Seychelles

The Seychelles represents the pinnacle of beach luxury. Whichever island you visit, you’ll find extremely high standards, and a pristine environment. You won’t see many all-inclusive resorts here, but you can find big names like Four Seasons Resort and North Island (where William and Kate went on honeymoon). For honeymooners on a big budget, the beautiful private island resorts such as Denis Private Island are very special indeed.

Bridal

I run the shop with my husband Andrew. Although he doesn’t deal with the front of house and the brides face to face, he has a huge role behind the scenes!

You may or may not have seen our little shop. We are situated at 16, Flemingate Beverley. Right by the beautiful Beverley Minster. We are becoming a little known by the locals for our window displays. We love it!

We have been trading now for just over two years and we are loving every minute if it. To be on that personal journey with brides, their families and friends is truly a job of dreams. We even have Elizabeth Hall brides having babies now. Some brides keep in touch and let us know how their married life is unfolding. We love it.

That’s enough about us, now onto the shop. We currently have four main designers in store. These are Morilee by Madeline Gardner, Romantica of Devon, Tiffanys Bridal and Kate Fearnley. Details of each of them can be found on our website www. elizabethhallbridal.co.uk along with many pictures for you to see.

We also now stock Morilee bridesmaid dresses and flower girl dresses for the little ones. Not forgetting shoes by Rainbow Club and accessories by Twilight Designs. This helps you tick a few boxes from your list in one place.

We have recently ventured into the world of prom dresses. They are by Morilee also and I know you will not be disappointed. They are beautiful. We promise a one dress, one school policy to ensure no student shows up in the same dress chosen.

2023 seems to be all about the sleeves, pretty details, 3D appliques and ruffles. It is so exciting and I cannot wait to show them all to you. We see different colours coming through too, even baby blues. Mini dresses and trouser suits are also becoming popular.

Whatever you desire give us a call, text or email if you have any questions or to book that all important appointment!

My name is Laura and I am the owner of Elizabeth Hall Bridal, Elizabeth is my middle name if you are wondering!

I heard a horror story a while ago. I was told that brides historically wore veils to stop their prospective husbands from running off – when embarking on an arranged marriage, apparently it’s better to find out your other half looks like the Hunchback of Notre Dame after you’ve exchanged vows. I am pleased to say that this rather barbaric story is not true. Well, it might be partly true…

Why do brides wear something old, something new… …something borrowed and something blue – and, in some versions, a sixpence in their shoe?

This Victorian ditty stems from a custom of ancient Israel, where brides wore a blue ribbon for constancy.

The something old is for tradition, new for the future, borrowed from someone happily married, blue to symbolise fidelity and a sixpence for future fortune.

Why do brides throw their bouquets?

This curious tradition, on the face of it, seems bizarre – particularly when you see the cost of wedding flowers. Why would you want to throw such a keepsake away rather than, say, drying it and keeping it in the back of a cupboard for the next 20 years?

The answer is that it actually evolved as a way of avoiding an earlier, and somewhat more disturbing, custom: that of the wedding guests trying to touch the bride’s dress – and even pull a bit of it off as a souvenir. The story goes that brides, in order to stop being charged by guests at the appropriate moment of the wedding, began throwing their bouquets as a diversionary tactic.

Why do brides wear veils?

No, it’s not all about hiding a hook nose and warts until after the permanence of ‘I do’ – at least, not entirely. Ancient Greeks and Romans believed that the veil provided protection against evil spirits, and the habit stuck (pun intended). As habits go, it’s not bad – in Denmark, the bride and groom used to cross dress to confuse said spirits.

Later, the veil came in useful for business-transaction weddings that involved unattractive brides and fuelled the superstition about not seeing the bride before the wedding for fear of bad luck (or bad looks).

Why do brides wear white dresses?

Historically, maidens married in their finest frock, whatever it’s colour, although red was ever popular, due to its association with passion. In fact, white was a colour of mourning. Then came Queen Victoria, who, in 1840, stubbornly wed Prince Albert in a dress of ‘rich white satin’, crowned with a wreath of orange blossom, symbolising chastity.

‘Custom has decided, from the earliest ages, that white is the most fitting hue, whatever may be the material,’ proclaimed popular women’s magazine Godey’s Lady Book just a few years later. ‘It is an emblem of the purity and innocence of girlhood, and the unsullied heart she now yields to the chosen one.’

Why do the happy couple exchange rings?

Although we now know that the vena amoris (‘vein of love’) in the fourth finger does not have a more direct connection to the heart than any other, we persist with our romantic tradition. The neverending circle of a wedding band is, of course, a symbol of eternity,

but the popularity of betrothal or engagement rings has been gathering momentum for centuries, spurred on by the odd ostentatious royal gift.

The Romans had iron rings, and gold set with gems – in red for passion or blue to reflect the Heavens – became the norm in medieval times. But a diamond really is forever, even if it is merely a 1940s De Beers advertising slogan. From the Greek adamas, meaning ‘the unconquerable’, they are Nature’s hardest substance and the ancients believed that, as fragments from fallen stars, they offered the wearer protection. And that’s amore.

Why do brides need bridesmaids?

When attending a Roman wedding, it was not uncommon to spot 10 maidens dressed identically to the bride – decoys for evil spirits that might try to harm her, or for rejected suitors who might want to throw her over their shoulder.

Top 10 Wedding Cake Tips

Ellie from Elliegantly Made shares her top wedding cake tips with you so that your day is perfect.

1. Plan ahead - good cake makers may be booked up months in advance. Reviews, previous cakes and recommendations will help you decide.

2. Cake maker - once you’ve chosen your designer, book a consultation and get to know them as they work with you choosing flavours and designing your dream wedding cake.

3. Design – consider styling, colours, décor, toppers etc. Although designs can be tweaked, large changes may incur extra costs.

4. Mood board/Pinterest – prepare different ideas for your cake which will help with the design.

5. Budget - Let your supplier know your budget so they can work with you to achieve your dream.

Why

does the bride stand on the left of the groom?

The bride stands on the left so that her suitor has his right arm – his sword hand – free to fend off rivals and, possibly, the bride’s parents. The best man, of course, is his second.

Why do guests throw confetti?

The Italians used to toss sugared almonds at parades and celebrations – this must have been painful. Some preferred chalk pellets or mud balls – even worse. We in England threw grains of rice for years, a pagan symbol of fertility, but the Victorians introduced shredded paper. Dried petals are a much more recent, and fragrant, innovation. Czechs throw peas.

6. Allergies - why not order some GF cupcakes for guests with allergies?

7. Cake size - have you planned a small wedding but would like multiple tiers? False tiers can be made by decorating polystyrene forms. Equally, an extra cutting cake can be made for large weddings for the kitchen to portion up.

8. Delivery - ask if delivery is included rather than find extra charges on your invoice.

9. Spotlight your cake - if you have a wedding planner ask them about a cake display to really showcase your cake.

10. Remember to have a slice!Or add a small 4” tier for a post wedding treat.

Road Trips for 2023

According to research carried out by Fiat, 72 per cent of motorists believe the UK has some of the most scenic roads in the world, so by way of a change this month I thought I’d take a look at the research and some of the best scenic drives that it mentions.

A total of 2,000 motorists took part in a survey to find the top ten road trips in the UK and, perhaps not surprisingly, the North Coast 500 route, starting from Inverness in northern Scotland, won hands down.

It isn’t just a beautiful coastal drive, there are numerous sites and activities along the way and if you want to complete it all it’s probably best as a holiday project - you’ll easily need a full week and perhaps a day or two more depending on where you stop.

Invergordon, a town once home to the Royal Navy fleet, has a unique outdoor art gallery of 11 plus large-

scale professionally painted murals. Energetic drivers could stop off at Dunnet Beach on the north coast of Caithness for an unforgettable surfing experience. Or there’s white water rafting located on River Findhorn near the beginning and end of North Coast 500.

Other suggestions include stopping by by Dunrobin Castle for a real Scottish fairytale, or go otter spotting at Tosaig or even chase dolphins at Chanory Point. Lastly, enjoy guided walking adventures starting from the lovely village of Ullapool.

With so much to discover, it’s no wonder this is considered to be one of the best road trips in the UK. One who certainly thinks so

is my daughter-in-law, Emma, editor of the award-winning travel magazine Jrny, who did the trip in the summer and has just written a guidebook.

Called “North Coast 500: Britain’s Ultimate Road Trip” by Emma Gibbs, it’s published by Collins in hardback at £25.

Kendal to Keswick, via the A591, in the Lake District, the runnerup route in the survey, is, in comparison, a mere 30 miles and can be completed in a leisurely four hours, but it still offers some breath-taking scenery, with Windermere and Grasmere mustsee sites along the way.

The Cheddar Gorge through the Mendip Hills (15 miles, 30-40 minutes) and St Ives to St Just in Cornwall (13 miles) came in at third and fourth respectively.

Closer to home, and I’ve done this a few times, I can recommend the Snake Pass in the Peak District national park, which was voted the fifth best road trip. Just 34 miles overall, it does offer places where you can pull over and take a break, one of which is the Ladybower Reservoir in the Upper Derwent Valley. And a little way off the road there are some great hiking paths, leading to Fairbrook Waterfall – and the Kinder Scout if you’re up for a serious climbing challenge.

By way of a change this month, Roy Woodcock devotes his motoring article to some of the best road trips (and best stopping points) in the UK . . .

I’m sure we all know (and love) the road trip that made the sixth place; called “Best of the Moors” and navigated via the A169 and A170 in Yorkshire, a total of 130 miles. The survey report says this: “Robin Hood’s Bay is a notable place to stop. A quaint and stunning old fishing village with a beautiful stretch of sandy beach. Explore the rock pools and ancient fossils while walking on the sand. Wander through its narrow, twisting cobbled streets and alleyways or enjoy the range of cafes, pubs and restaurants.”

And it continued: “There’s also the North Yorkshire Moors Railway – an old steam train – you can pick up from Whitby. A gliding lesson from Thirsk is worth a stop if you’ve got a head for heights. Or a two mile

The Top 10 was completed by: No 7 - The Cotswolds, Cheltenham to Stratford (31 miles), No 8 - The A82 towards Loch Ness (68 miles), No 9 - A39 coastal route linking Minehead to Barnstaple (38 miles) and No 10 - The Black Mountain Pass (pictured top right) in the Brecon Beacons (22 miles).

On a slightly connected theme, road trip guide site Detour (detourroadtrips.com) has scoured the country to seek out the very best small, independent roadside cafés and diners and shortlisted ten excellent eateries that would be make a perfect pit stop.

Their top ten are: The Yonderman Café, Buxton, Derbyshire; The Ace Café, London; Aberfeldy Watermill Bookshop & Café, Aberfeldy; The Airport Café, Ashford, Kent; Harry’s Café at Fowlers, Bristol, Avon; Super Sausage Café, Northamptonshire; Route 11, Attleborough, Norfolk; The Filling Station, Keswick, Cumbria; Hell’s Mouth Coffee House, Cornwall; Ty Medi, Machynlleth, Wales.

Detour says: “Each defiantly different to the chains that dominate Britain’s roads, these venues won’t necessarily receive famous guidebook

recommendations or become social media sensations. Instead, they’re all independently owned and aimed at everyday people, with warm service and food that’s subsistent, freshly made, tasty and high in quality - perfect for filling up before continuing your journey.”

I’d love top hear your suggestions, particularly pit-stops closer to home! You can contact me via the magazine.

And lastly, may I take this opportunity to wish you all a very Happy New Year and happy and safe motoring.

Theimportanceofkeeping warmthiswinter

Astemperaturescontinuetodropitisimportanttobe awareofthedangersof hypothermia

Hypothermiaisaseriousmedicalconditionthatcan happenduetoseverecoldtemperatures.Itcan developinvulnerablepeople,suchastheelderlyor peoplewithlongtermhealthconditions,quickly.

Symptomsincludeshivering,paleskin,bluelips, confusion,slurredspeech,slowshallowbreathing, drowsinessandevenlossofconsciousness.

Ifleftuntreated,itcanbefatal.

Keepwarmandwellthiswinterby:

� Heatingtheroom/syouspendmostofyourtime intoatleast18degrees

� Dressinginmultiple,warmlayers–multiplethin layersarebetterthanthickones

� Wearingamaskorscarfoveryournoseand mouthwhenoutinthecoldifyouhaverespiratory conditions.Thiswarmsthetemperatureoftheairand reducesthechanceofrespiratoryattacks

� Drinkwarmdrinks,eatwell,andmoveregularly throughouttheday

Ifyouorsomeoneyouknowhasbeenexposedto severecoldtemperaturesandhassymptomsof hypothermia,seekmedicalattentionimmediatelyby calling999.

Inthisinstancewarmthepersonslowly.Startwith blanketsandahat,offerwarmdrinksandhighcalorie snacks;keepthemtalkingandawake.Warmingthem uptooquicklywithheaters,limbmassageandhot bathscanbedangerous.

Ifyou'reworriedaboutstayingwarmthiswinterhelp isavailable.Call 01482300303 email: costofliving@hullcc.gov.uk orvisit: hull.gov.uk/costofliving formoreinformation.

10 things you might not know about the

MENOPAUSE

Whether you have endless symptoms or sail through, we’re here to inject a little clarity

It’s

not all bad

You might feel more creative, more balanced, more liberated. Without monthly periods and PMS, women often feel more capable, empowered – and do find joy in life.

‘End of monthly cycles’

That’s the definition of the word ‘menopause’, and it means you’re only considered to have reached it when you’ve had no periods for a year. Before this – during perimenopause – your periods may become more erratic, longer, shorter or lighter. Studies show the median length from perimenopause to finish is 7.5 years – roughly three before your last period and 4.5 after.

Not everyone suffers from hot flushes

A lucky 25% of women never get them, but if you’re in the unlucky 75%, avoid what makes them worse, like alcohol, spicy foods and smoking.

Wear cotton sleepwear and have a fan by your bed. Regular exercise helps, too.

You can still get pregnant Don’t throw away the contraceptives just yet! You need to wait until a year after your last period – or two years if you’re under 50.

Herbals can help ‘Research has shown that black cohosh and St John’s wort are effective in relieving symptoms, particularly when taken together,’ says Dr Dick Middleton, former chair of the British Herbal Medicine Association.

‘Anti-stress herbs valerian and Avena sativa are great for adrenal support, and sage helps with hot flushes,’ says nutritional therapist Alison Cullen.

It’s normal to be a bit leaky (when you laugh or sneeze). Falling oestrogen levels can make your pelvic floor muscles weaken – but don’t ever suffer in silence. Do pelvic-floor exercises religiously, and, if the problems persist, see your doctor or continence specialist. You’re not alone!

Memory loss isn’t permanent Regularly forget your keys or wonder why you walked into a room? This is completely normal. Scientists believe the drop in oestrogen can make us feel a

into the chaos

bit foggy, particularly during the perimenopause. Good news is it usually only lasts a year.

Moving around can relieve moods

The menopause often coincides with other life stresses, such as work pressures, ageing parents and children leaving home, all of which can affect your mood. Regular exercise, yoga, meditation or simply making time for yourself can all lift your mood.

Switch red wine for white

While all types of alcohol can cause the release of the hormone epinephrine, triggering a hot flush, red wine is especially potent. White wine is more likely to leave you flush-free – but, as all alcohol raises your risk of breast cancer, do drink moderately.

Your purse will thank you

The end of periods means no more tampons or towels – and, after probably 40 years of buying them, that’s quite a relief.

Try this...

Put soya on the menu

The evidence: It has long been speculated that soya quells flushes, but results have been mixed. However, a recent US analysis of 17 studies concluded that the equivalent of a couple of daily portions of soya-based foods and drinks lower frequency and severity of hot flushes by up to 26%.

How? Plant chemicals in soya, called isoflavones, are thought to mimic the effect of oestrogen.

Try it: You need 54mg of soya isoflavones daily for six weeks to a year. A serving of tofu (55g/2oz) or soya milk (600ml/1pt) contains 35-40mg of isoflavones.

Note: Try it for six weeks*. If there’s no improvement, it could be that you don’t produce equol, a substance produced by gut bacteria from soya foods. Non-equol producers don’t benefit from soya.

*Try all remedies for at least six weeks, noting their efficacy.

Should you bring a snowdrop into the house?

Patrick White delves into Britain’s collective passion for Galanthus and looks at the folklore that surrounds it.

Positioned almost at the midway point of the astronomical winter, Candlemas, the Christian festival celebrated on February 2nd, forty days after Jesus’ birth, is an ideal moment to take stock. In weather lore, it was regarded as a harbinger of what was to come, the hibernal equivalent of St Swithin’s Day. ‘If Candlemas Day be fair and bright’ ran one proverb, ‘winter will take another flight. If Candlemas Day be foul and rain, winter is gone and won’t come again.’

By Candlemas, the snowdrop should have made its presence known, its erect stem having pushed its way through the soil to brave the cold and delight us with its pendulous white bell-shaped flowers. Not for nothing is it known as the Candlemas Bell or Fair Maid of February or Snow Lily, the translation of its Welsh name, Eirlys. In his Perennial Calendar and Companion to the Almanac (1824), Dr Thomas Forster marked its arrival with a self-conscious piece of archaic doggerel: ‘The snowdrop, in purest white arraie,/ first rears her hedde on Candlemas daie,/ while the Crocus hastens to the shrine/ of Primrose lone on St Valentine’.

Gerard’s time, snowdrops were well established as garden plants, ‘maintained and cherished…for the beauty and rareness of the flowers, and sweetness of their smell’, so much so that he had to remind his readers that they were not a native species; ‘these plants do grow wild in Italie and places adjacent, notwithstanding our English gardens have taken possession of them all, many years past’.

Writing half a century later, John Parkinson, whose snowdrops had been imported from Constantinople, was more pessimistic as to when they would flower, suggesting February, if the weather was mild, or else the beginning of March. He too referred to them as bulbous violets.

the early arrival of the snowdrop, often when snow is on the ground and conditions deter other bulbs from showing their heads. The snow, desperately seeking a colour to call its own, was snubbed by the more colourful plants not wishing to be associated with something so cold and unpleasant. Taking pity on it, the snowdrop allowed it to adopt its colour, white. In gratitude, the snow protected it from the rigours of the cold and frost, a symbiotic relationship that has existed ever since.

Fleece’ snowdrop sold on eBay for £1,390, plus £4 postage.

Galanthophiles were heartened when the Snowdrop Festival at the Garden House, in the Devon village of Buckland Monachorum, opened its doors to visitors on January 14, after a year off due to Covid restrictions. The mild winter has allowed it to display some 350 varietals and it runs until February 27.

The Victorians planted snowdrops in the shady areas of churchyards, particularly on the graves of loved ones. In some parts of the country, this led to the flower being associated with death, especially as the flower’s head looked like a corpse in a shroud. The Encyclopaedia of Superstitions, Folklore and the Occult Sciences of the World (1903) noted that ‘they are so much like a corpse in a shroud that the people…will not have them in the house, lest they bring in death’. Failure to heed the warning meant that a death would occur within twelve months. A single bloom in a vase made it even more likely.

Forster was using poetic licence as the snowdrop can, and often does, appear as early as January, especially during a mild winter, a characteristic noted by John Gerard in his description of the plant in his Herball (1597), the first detailed account of the plant in a British text. His description of what he called ‘Timely Flowering Bulbous Violets’ is unmistakably that of a snowdrop. ‘The whole flower hangeth down his head by reason on the on the weak foote stalk whereon it groweth. The root is small white and bulbous. [It] flowereth at the beginning of Januarie.’

Snowdrops were not indigenous to Britain, having possibly been introduced to this country by Italian monks in the 15th century or as early as the Roman occupation. By

Snowdrops did escape from the confines of the garden into the wild, often found adjacent to gardens or other plants of garden origin, but it was not until 1778 that the first wild snowdrop was recorded in Britain.

Originally, they were associated with the Leucojum genus, given their passing similarity to the snowflake, despite the latter being larger, having more than one flower per stem, and green spots on the end of their petals. Carl Linnaeus, in 1753, put an end to the confusion, giving the snowdrop its own botanical name, Galanthus nivalis, a mix of Latin and Greek meaning ‘milkflower of the snow’. That was not the end of the snowdrop’s taxonomical identity crisis, only resolved for good in 1805 when Jean Henri Saint-Hilaire placed it in the Amaryllidaceae family.

In Germany, there is a charming tale set at the dawn of time to explain

According to the Scottish poet, George Wilson, in his poem, The Origin of the Snowdrop, published posthumously in 1860, the snowdrop was created after Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden into the frozen wastes. Pitying their plight, an angel scooped up some snowflakes, and breathed on them, transforming the ice into soft, pearly flowers — the first snowdrops. ‘And thus’, he wrote, ‘the snowdrop, like the bow/ that spans the cloudy sky,/ became a symbol whence we know/ that brighter days are nigh.’

From the mid-19th century, interest in snowdrops took off, with horticulturalists discovering new types and cross-pollinating existing varieties to the extent that today there are between 1,500 and 2,500 varietals spread across twenty species. Most originate from just three species, Galanthus nivalis, Galanthus elwesii, and Galanthus plicatus. Prices can reach eyewatering levels. In 2014, the naming rights to a snowdrop varietal, together with a bulb, were sold for £2,500 and, in 2015, a ‘Golden

If that was not enough, snowdrops in the house would, according to The Handbook of Folklore (1913), ‘make the cows’ milk watery and affect the colour of the butter’ or reduce the number of eggs that a sitting hen would hatch. Far better to wear one or eat it. ‘The snowdrop will ensure purity of thought to the wearer’, the Encyclopaedia told its readers, while ‘if a girl eats the first snowdrop she finds in the spring, she will not get tanned in the summer’.

In the counties of Shropshire and Herefordshire, however, people took a contrary view, carrying snowdrops into the house as part of a purification ritual, defying the gloomy prognostication that it ‘was unlucky to decorate your rooms with snowdrops’. Others saw it as a symbol of health and wellbeing – its bulb contains the alkaloid galantomine, used for the management of Alzheimer’s – and its white tepals as a representation of the wintry sun gaining strength as the days lengthen.

Like George Wilson, I regard them as a symbol of hope, a sign that the earth is stirring, and that winter will soon be gone. Taking no chances, however, I will keep mine in the ground.

Gardening Jobs for January

January might be the middle of winter but as the days lengthen the garden starts to grow. Now is a great time to plan for the coming gardening year and to order seeds and plants. Enjoy the fresh air, on dry sunny days, and check your winter protection, stakes, ties and supports are still working after any severe weather. Also put out food for birds and leave some garden areas uncut, a little longer, to provide shelter for garden wildlife.

Prune apple and pear trees

Pruning an apple or pear tree can be daunting for many gardeners. Rather than be put off completely or panic and inadvertently harm the tree back by excessive pruning, instead try our easy guide and enjoy a well-shaped, productive tree.

Clean pots and greenhouses ready for spring

Cleaning greenhouses, whether glass or plastic, greatly improves the growing environment for plants. By removing the algae, moss and grime it lets in more light and helps control pests and diseases too.

Dig over any vacant plots that have not been dug already

Soil cultivation or digging may be hard work but, if taken slowly, it need not be back-breaking. In fact, here we describe how it can often be omitted or at least minimised.

Worm casts in lawns

Earthworms are useful in the garden, including in most lawns. Worms casts on fine low cut turf and gravel pathways are considered by some gardeners to be a nuisance.

Inspect stored tubers of Dahlia, Begonia and Canna for rots or drying out

Start forcing rhubarb

For an early harvest of tender and pink rhubarb, cover the crowns in December or January with a layer of straw or bracken and cover over with an upturned bucket or a traditional clay rhubarb pot to exclude light. Stalks will be ready to pull two-to-three weeks earlier than uncovered crowns. Crowns that have been forced for earlier harvest should be left without pulling for the rest of that season.

Plan your vegetable crop rotations for the coming season

The principle of crop rotation is to grow specific groups of vegetables on a different part of the vegetable plot each year. This helps to reduce a build-up of crop-specific pest and disease problems and it organises groups of crops according to their cultivation needs.

Keep putting out food and water for hungry birds

Make a polythene shelter for outdoor peaches and nectarines, to protect against peach leaf curl

FIONA’S FOOD FOR THOUGHT

USEFUL NUMBERS

PR Consultant, DIY Your Biz PR Course Creator, Wife & Mum to two teenagers!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I really can’t believe it’s 2023. Whilst last year held some amazing moments, there were also some really difficult ones too – and the more I speak to people, the more I hear them say they’ve been waiting for the New Year to start so that they could shake off 2022 and attack 2023 with renewed energy and motivation. After all, that’s what a New Year is all about, isn’t it? So, let’s all get to it! What are your plans, your resolutions? This year, I have specific work goals I’m working towards (including hosting my 8-week group PR Bootcamp again starting this month!), I’m determined to get fitter and healthier and, as a bookworm that rarely seems to find time to read a book anymore, I’m going to commit to reading at least one book a month, just for fun! I’m currently reading Richard Osman’s ‘The Thursday Murder Club’. So, I’ve declared myself, which means I have to do it now! So why not decide what you’re going to do and declare it to someone you know. Accountability is the key! Let’s make 2023 a year to remember for all the right reasons. Good luck!

VEGANUARY

Speaking of being healthier, who’s trying Veganuary? I’m not necessarily going the full hog (no pun intended!) but I am definitely going more plantbased this month. I got a Vegan cookbook for my birthday last year, so I’ve been trying out some of the recipes – and they are incredibly tasty. I‘m not a massive meat eater anyway but I do have difficulty giving up dairy and eggs. I am loving black beans though – and I’m going to give oat milk a try – or maybe almond milk! I see it as a win-win situation. It’s not only healthy eating, it’s also been proven to be good for the environment. Definitely worth giving it a go!

DECLUTTERING IMPROVES YOUR ENERGY LEVELS

While we all know how much better we feel when we declutter, did you know there’s actual science behind it?! Various studies have found that clutter affects our mood and self-esteem, our behaviour and our mental health. It can increase the stress hormone cortisol and lead to lower productivity, insomnia, weight gain, procrastination and depression. So why do we do it to ourselves? “That might come in handy one day.” Sound familiar? Well, not any more! Time to get tough and throw stuff out! I’ve already started and I’ve been feeling great. Bag or box things that don’t ‘spark joy’ anymore and take them to charity shops or donate them directly to those who need them. Did you get my Marie Kondo reference there?!! Take everything else to the tip! The key thing is to remove it from your house so that you can see and feel the benefit immediately.

You know, I think 2023 is already shaping up to be a great year! I wish you all good health, happiness and prosperity. Best of luck!

Fiona x

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HOSPITALS & HEALTH

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HELP & ADVICE

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TRANSPORT

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COUNCILS

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