Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2021 i Choice

It is surprising how quickly moods can swing from dim to bright, often with not very much justification. Of course, it can go the other way, too, unfortunately. I experienced a great example of this the other day at one of the last matches in a Covid-affected cricket season. Sneaking a day at Leicestershire’s lovely Grace Road ground, when I really should have been working on this issue, I arrived to find the home side had been set 386 runs to win and two whole days to get them. Statistically very few sides ever score that many in a final innings so expectations were not high. With an hour to go to lunch even low expectations were not low enough. Kent had taken six wickets for just 20 runs by…

Gail Willis is an exponent and teacher of Hatha Yoga. She brings Choice readers a new exercise every month. Gail, who is now a full-time yoga instructor in Kettering, Northamptonshire, has recruited her mother Janet Rogers to help demonstrate the exercises. In each picture Janet now in her 80s illustrates the basic position for each exercise – the easiest one for the beginner. Gail illustrates the maximum position for each exercise. You should start following Janet’s position and try to increase gradually towards Gail’s advanced level. “Only build up to a level that you are comfortable with,” says Gail. “Some exercises you will be able to do the maximum level of stretch. Others you will achieve only the basic move or just a little more. It doesn’t matter because even…

Reading a poem, suggests Dr Rosenthal, “can be greatly enriched by a few simple tricks. “Remember to enjoy the poem. It should be fun, not work. Actively engage with the poem. Give it your full attention and it will reward you. “Read it aloud. That way, you can enjoy the music in the words. Also, vocalising the words involves different sets of nerves and muscles an different parts of the brain compared with reading it silently... but, most importantly, reading a poem aloud deepens its therapeutic potential. “Read the poem more than once. One mysterious aspect of a poem is how successive readings reveal new layers of meaning. “Experience the poem with all your senses. A poem is no more a purely intellectual experience than a song or a painting…

Before the first brick has been laid in the construction of today’s care homes, decisions will have been made on the type of technology to be implemented to enhance the lives of residents. Priesty Fields, a 78-bed purpose-built nursing care home in Cheshire which opened in August, is one of many new homes across the UK planning to use technology that improves standards of care and quality of life for both staff and residents. There are an estimated 17,600 care homes in the UK. Around 70 per cent are residential while nursing homes make up 30 per cent, providing accommodation for more than 490,000 people. A significant proportion of the UK’s elderly population is resident in these homes – four per cent of over-65s and more than 16 per cent…

SERVES FOUR Lu Rou Fan A beloved Taiwanese comfort food, lu rou fan is a slow-braised-until-melting meat sauce, served over rice. Preparation: Ten minutes Cooking time: Two to three hours ■ 1 tbsp neutral oil ■ 600g skin-on pork belly, diced into 1cm chunks ■ 2-3 garlic cloves, crushed or grated ■ 2 tbsp light (soft) brown sugar ■ 4 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine ■ 1 tbsp runny honey ■ 120ml light soy sauce ■ 1 tsp Chinese five spice ■ 1 small cinnamon stick ■ 1 tbsp dark soy sauce ■ 1 pinch of ground white pepper ■ 700ml water ■ 6 tbsp store-bought crispy fried shallots ■ 4 medium eggs ■ 600g steamed rice 1 In a heavy-based saucepan, heat the neutral oil over a medium-high heat.…

THE GARDEN Museum in Lambeth, South London, is embarking on a first-of-its-kind journey into the gardening cultures and traditions that Caribbean people carried with them when they moved to the UK after the Second World War. It will encompass everything from breadfruit, provision grounds and botanical gardens to chocho, ackee and the green spaces of South London. How did the horticultural knowledge and traditions of the Windrush generation shape their experiences of migration and community building in the UK? What plants and foods did Caribbean migrants grow – and where? How do their stories enrich our understanding of the power and joy of gardening? After a year’s delay owing to the pandemic, young people aged 15 to 21 are recording the garden journeys of South London horticulturists who were born…

News of the best in the entertainment world this month Norman Wright Some of the earliest TV nature programmes came from the work of two husband and wife teams: Hans and Lotte Hass, diving the oceans, and Armand and Michaela Denis on safari. Both brought exotic wildlife into our living rooms albeit in rather grainy black and white. Their stories were remarkably similar. Austrian Hans Hass was a scientist with a bent for developing technology. He modernised divers’ breathing gear and innovated in underwater photography equipment. He divorced his wife in favour of his glamourous secretary, Lotte, and made underwater films and TV programmes together. Armand Denis was a Belgian scientist and inventor and his invention of an automatic volume control for radios funded his travel and film making. Following…

With hits like I’m Not In Love, Dreadlock Holiday and Rubber Bullets, and chart-topping albums The Original Soundtrack and How Dare You, 10cc successfully straddled the art-pop divide better than most during the Seventies. In those early years the band sometimes struggled to replicate their elaborate studio-generated creations in concert, but with developments in technology in the years since their heyday the current line-up is able to produce storming versions of their bestloved songs on stage and early next year will be taking their Ultimate Greatest Tour on a two week jaunt around the UK. Beginning in Liverpool on March 25 the tour will take in York, Nottingham, Manchester, Cardiff, Bath, Southend, the London Palladium, Bournemouth, Birmingham, Guildford, Glasgow and Gateshead. As the name suggests, the band, led by co-founder…

“It never did me any harm…” That’s the claim of many a survivor of physical punishment in school, decades after falling foul of the teachers. Having had my knuckles rapped, my hands caned (a couple of times when I was innocent, guv!) and lived to tell the tale, I might also claim that it left no emotional scars. But now the overwhelming evidence is that for most children the damage lingers long after the pain has gone. Most children of my generation experienced a parental slap, or worse (‘the belt’ was never far away in some homes), and teachers felt entitled to dish out corporal punishment for the worst behaviour. But now – thankfully in my view, speaking as an ex-smacker who was smacked – the prevailing belief among those…

One of the joys of retirement forays in the local area is the discovery of something nice, and different, for tea. On a recent trundle in the car, I wondered whether perhaps we’d come across an old-fashioned butchers. The prospect of a pie (a proper meat pie) hove into view as we approached Boston, Lincolnshire. But that aspiration evaporated for some reason as we passed a gents’ hairdressers. It was called Sweeney Todd’s. Suddenly pie didn’t seem such a good idea.…

Perfino is an innovative natural-scent jewellery brand, with perfume and jewellery in perfect harmony. It combines expertly blended, 100 per cent natural, pure essential oils with exquisite jewellery so you can wear scent all day long without any chemicals touching your skin. Perfino’s skilled artisan jewellery designers created a natural scent pendant made from 100 per cent solid recycled silver. Inside the pendant sits a lava stone. The pendant comes with six lava stones and 10ml of carefully blended natural essential oils – all from sustainable growers. One drop of oil on the stone in the pendant will give a delicate fragrance that can last for days. Each piece of Perfino jewellery is presented in its own luxury gift box with a range of blends so you can find your…

The review of the book RedTraitor (Choice, September) instantly took me back 59 years. The RAF had one remaining Meteorological Reconnaissance Squadron – No 202. Equipped with modified Handley Page Hastings four-engine transport aircraft, the squadron flew six weather flights (named Bismuth) every week. I was a co-pilot on my first tour. The routes were selected by the chief forecaster at the Central Met Office, and take-off was usually 8am from RAF Aldergrove, Northern Ireland. The route for September 1, 1962 took us about 1000 miles due west, flying at 1500 feet. Two on-board Air Met Observers compiled meteorological data, transmitted frequently (using wireless telegraphy) to a ground station by one of two Air Signallers. We were now ready for a descent to just 200 feet above the sea to…

ANYONE WHO has suffered from the skin condition psoriasis will testify as to how it can affect every aspect of your life. Pat Woodward, 64, an estate agent from Hampshire, has suffered with psoriasis for more than ten years and at times her hands were so sore and unsightly she would wear gloves to work. Pat, a grandmother of three, said: “Psoriasis runs in my family, my mother had it before me and my brother developed it in puberty; mine appears to have been triggered by the menopause, but it has been relentless. “My hands are worst affected but I also have it on my legs and my scalp. Having psoriasis on my hands affects every aspect of my life. As obvious as it sounds, you need your hands for…

THIS MONTH fraud is our theme (see page 57). UK Finance says £1.26bn was lost to scammers, it’s the other pandemic! Many victims don’t report being scammed because they are too embarrassed, so the real figure is even higher. But anyone can potentially fall victim. Possibly the most common bank scam is getting you to transfer money from your account. A financially savvy friend who runs her own successful consultancy received a call from her ‘bank’, alleging her business bank account had been accessed illegally. She believed this might actually be true as earlier that day she’d had problems logging in to her account online. The caller said the solution was to transfer all her money into a ‘safe account’, the details of which he gave her. She was almost…

We have been defrauded out of our life savings. What can we do? CHOICE RECEIVED the following letter during the summer: “My husband and I have been defrauded out of our life savings via a cloned investment website. “We have exhausted all other avenues for assistance and only have our current bank now involved. Our concern was reported to our local branch of Barclays on May 3; three days later I received a mobile text stating that they were looking into it and would be in touch as soon as they had an update for me. “They have texted me a further seven times since then, initially promising updates and then, on June 30, a text promised an outcome by midJuly. On July 16, I received a message that read:…

Hello and welcome to my Craft Corner! Every month I share two new projects with Choice readers – one for those who enjoy hobbies such as papercrafting, upcycling and decoupage, and one for those who are fond of sewing and needlecraft, where I focus on simple, everyday stitched fabric accessories. I’ve lived and breathed crafting for as long as I can remember. I have very fond memories of cake decorating, cross-stitching and candle-making with my mum, and in my late teens I discovered the joy of cardmaking. I was fortunate enough to turn my favourite pastimes into my career by setting up Crafter’s Companion out of my university bedroom, and it’s been an amazing journey seeing my business develop into what it is today. I love experimenting and using our…

DVDS One of Our Aircraft Is Missing The Best of British Transport Films Volume 2 (BFI) Written, produced and directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, the 1942 film One Of Our Aircraft Is Missing is a suspenseful tale of wartime valour and heroism, and it is now available on Blu-ray as part of a special collector’s edition. Aside from the compelling main feature, the release also features archive films including Target for Tonight and An Airman’s Letter to His Mother, as well as a brand new audio commentary by film scholar Ian Christie and a fully illustrated booklet with new writing on the film. Also available on Blu-ray, The Best Of British Transport Films Volume 2 includes 21 of the BTF collection’s most celebrated titles across two discs, including…

WRITTEN USING research by actress and author Fidelis Morgan, Orphans of the Storm, by Celia Imrie (Bloomsbury, £10.49), is the compelling story of a mother’s quest to find her children, set against the backdrop of the sinking of the Titanic, and in Women In The War (Harper Element, £20) Lucy Fisher pays tribute to ten of the surviving women from Britain’s greatest generation who in their different ways, made a vital element to the war effort, be it flying Spitfires to the front line or aiding code breaking at Bletchley Park. A fascinating mixture or archaeology, anthropology and architecture, England’ Villages, by TV presenter Ben Robinson (Blink, £25), looks at the development of English village settlements across the ages, Innovation, by Peter Ackroyd (Picador, £30) is the sixth and final…

Another chance to test your memory of people and events of the past (the answers are over the page): 1 How much was the old 7s 6d worth in decimalisation terms? 2 Which disreputable profession did Jack Dawkins of London follow? 3 Which famous toy kit, still available today, was invented by Frank Hornby in 1901? 4 Ann Widdecombe famously said there was something ‘what’ about fellow Tory Michael Howard?. 5 Who was the first player in the English football league to be transferred for £1m? 6 Which British artist exhibited a skull covered with more than 8000 diamonds? 7 Name the world’s longest-running radio soap opera. 8 Which comedy character would advise his staff, in a TV show, ‘don’t mention the war’. 9 Which British guitarist is nicknamed ‘Slowhand’?…

Just a reminder… …that in October 1970, Rolling Stones fans in Milan caused mayhem when trying to buy tickets to see the band play. Finding they couldn’t ‘get no satisfaction’, they rioted and 63 were arrested …in the same month, in the same year, five million mourners flooded into Cairo and lined 15 miles of road along which President Nasser’s funeral procession took place …and that, also in October that year, Bernadette Devlin, the Irish civil rights leader, was released from prison having served four months of a six-month sentence for riotous behaviour ‘Submissive’ Indian brides turn the tables I love titbits tucked away at the bottom of pages of newspapers or magazines, and one that tickled my fancy was from a Delhi correspondent reporting on the way some Indian…

Write to Your views, Choice, 4 Milnyard Square, Orton Southgate, Peterborough PE2 6GX, or email us at: (editorial@choicemag.co.uk). (Views expressed are those of the individual correspondent and not necessarily those of the magazine) Flip side of George and Bob A good selection of interesting articles in the August issue. As a Beatles fan, I particularly liked the one on George Harrison. However, the picture of George alongside Dylan is odd. Both are right-handed, yet both are portrayed as playing the guitar left-handed! Look at any photo of the Beatles and you will see George and John are right-handed, Paul left-handed. As you point out, after the band’s breakup George had great worldwide success with All Things Must Pass and My Sweet Lord. The concert album also did well, raising so…

The Christening There’s a little church on Winchmore HillWhere friends and family will wait untilA baby girl with the prettiest faceWill make her appearance all dressed in lace We will all be there to share her dayAnd to hear the words the vicar will sayAs the water trickles down her little faceHe will announce her name as Amelie Grace As we leave the church to the sound of bellsAll will wonder what fate foretellsFor this beauty of the familyOur wonderful, adorable Amelie Ron Lloyd, Solihull Please note, poems submitted for inclusion on this page must be the author’s own work Over Beachy Head The sun was warmAs we left our bedAnd packed a flaskWith some buttered breadThe view was fineWe were newly wedWhat a wonderful dawnOver Beachy Head When I…

THOUSANDS OF lives could be saved thanks to more blood pressure checks in high street pharmacies. Every NHS pharmacy in England will be able to provide the lifesaving checks to people aged 40 and over from October thanks to a new deal between pharmacies and the NHS. Over the next five years estimates show that 3700 strokes and 2500 heart attacks could be prevented as a result of the tests and around 2000 lives could be saved. Predictions also show that if 2.5 million people get their blood pressure checked in this way, an additional 250,000 people could receive lifesaving treatment for hypertension. The NHS began piloting the checks in autumn 2019 with the full rollout starting this month. This action is the latest step to find thousands more people…

Do not stand at my grave and weep;I am not there. I do not sleep.I am a thousand winds that blow,I am the diamond glints on snow.I am the sunlight on ripened grain.I am the gentle autumn rain.When you awaken in the morning’s hushI am the swift uplifting rushOf quiet birds in circled flight.I am the soft stars that shine at night.Do not stand at my grave and cry;I am not there. I did not die. THIS BEAUTIFUL poem – Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep by Mary Elizabeth Frye – is sometimes the first occasion that the power of poetry to inspire and to soothe is experienced, being one of the most popular verses read at funerals. It certainly impressed me on several such occasions, and so…

DO-IT-YOURSELF was the fifth most popular pursuit taken up during lockdown, according to a survey by website GoCompare. Meanwhile, a survey by SunLife of older couples who had been living together for more than 20 years found DIY and home improvements were the top cause of arguments, trumping even disputes over money. There are many ways to interpret this information, but it suggests that perhaps the person taking up DIY might not have completed the job to the other’s satisfaction... And, while small maintenance jobs can potentially be carried out by DIY enthusiasts with plenty of time on their hands during lockdown, there will inevitably be tasks that require a skilled professional. With more of us having spent time at home, the need to carry out such jobs has likely…

Supplies: ■ Fat-quarters of autumn plaid brushed cotton or flannel ■ 0.5 metres of cotton wadding ■ Brown felt scraps ■ Threaders Stick and Spray for Fabric ■ Threaders Heat Erasable pen ■ Nail brush ■ Basic sewing kit To create: 1 Make a cardboard template of a pumpkin silhouette 2 Cut out your pumpkin shapes from your brushed cotton; you need two for each coaster. Cut some wadding shapes that are 1/2in smaller all the way round and, using the Stick and Spray for Fabric, adhere to the wrong side of one of your shapes 3 Cut out some stalk shapes from the brown felt. Place the two pumpkin shapes wrong sides together with the wadding sandwiched between. Add a stalk shape into the seam at the top of…

Powers and Thrones: A New History of the Middle Ages by Dan Jones Published by Head of Zeus Price £25 Pages 609 ISBN 9781789543537 HARDBACK BOOK OF THE MONTH With his trademark narrative style, Dan Jones packs the thousand years between the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century AD and the Protestant Reformation into 16 chapters of involving reading, showing how the West, rebuilt out of chaos, came to dominate the globe. Considering the Middle Ages as “the rock on which the western world is built”, he dives headlong into fields of history from war and law to art and literature, writes of superpowers, dynasties, inventors and scholars, and explores the big forces that shaped people’s lives, from climate change to mass migration and a global pandemic.…

When ‘Backing Britain’ ran out of steam... YOU’RE SURE to have had that feeling. That moment of realisation when you think: Haven’t we been here before...? It came over me recently when I read about the government’s plan to build a £200m ship to plough international waters, spreading the news that we might no longer rule the waves but Britain is still great Britain; well, fairly great, and not yet reaching for the distress flares The announcement about the promotional ship, coming on the crest of a bubbling of patriotic post-Brexit fervour, was some distraction from undercurrents of concern some felt about how we’ll stay buoyant now that we’ve cast off from the EU. That on top of the worrying fact that we’re up to our gunwales with bills from…

Are you a stylish dresser? Do you ‘dress young’ – or don’t you give a fig about what people think? When did you last go out in a short skirt – or elastic-waisted trousers? These are the sort of questions asked in two surveys to find out what older people feel about how they present themselves, and what younger people say they should be wearing. Socks and sandals, cardigans and those ‘comfortable’ loose-waisted trousers were all deemed appropriate by more than half the younger element questioned and the same proportion believed that older people should ‘dress their age’. Encouragingly, however, the poll showed that only a fifth of the over-65 population allowed society to dictate what dress was right for their stage in life; a third of the age group…

YOU DON’T have to spend money on expensive cleaning products for the bathroom. These three food products cost a total of £1.06 when buying supermarkets’ own-brand products. Many of the brand-name bathroom cleaning products contain bleach or other abrasive chemicals, which can damage chrome fittings, despite what it might say on the back of the bottle. If you leave the bleach on for just a little too long, you run the risk of discolouration and peeling, even with the very best fittings. So, what should you use to clean your bathroom? Well if soapy water or a nonabrasive cleaner just isn’t cutting it, there are a number of inexpensive methods that you could try, and Bathroom design and fittings supplier Drench (www.drench.co.uk) has some weird and wonderful suggestions. Cola ■…