Out & About Autumn 2021

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Autumn 2021

West Berkshire, North Hampshire & East Wi ltshire

A Newbury News Ltd publication

Author Nicola Chester on the local countryside that has inspired her first book Surrounded by nature

Animal Magic A fun day out at Beale Park

Apple windfall

Tutts Clump Cider is a thriving family business

Fashion Food Features Gardening Travel Competitions

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GERALDINE GARDNER

Editor

A s a new school year begins, it looks like we might be heading for a bit of an Indian summer, which would be no bad thing after the hiatus of the last 18 months or so and – let’s face it – a pretty unremarkable summer, weatherwise. The start of the school year also means Harvest assemblies and festivals with rousing renditions of ‘Cauliflowers fluffy, cabbages green...’ and putting together Harvest gifts. Perhaps one of the most popular and staple items in a Harvest basket is the good old apple. Quintessentially British, although there are many foreign varieties, nothing says autumn and Harvest time quite like the ‘forbidden’ fruit. With this in mind, I paid a visit to Tutts Clump cider run by the Wale family. What started as a hobby for owner TimWale has turned into a thriving local business with a delicious end product to boot. Our Berkshire Farm Girl Eleanor Gilbert continues her seasonal farming diary, highlighting the vagaries of the summer weather and the affect it has had on the harvest season for farmers, and river keeper Nick Edwards starts to wind things down as the fishing season ends and he can turn his attentions to repairing and rejuvenating the stretch of the River Kennet that is his responsibility. Allotment holder David Cole has some great tips for vegetable growing and, sticking with the great outdoors, Emma Cole discovers what inspired nature writer Nicola Chester to write her memoir On Gallows Down , due to be published in October.

Nicola’s love for the countryside in which she grew up is infectious and her knowledge of the local area is fascinating. If you want to get young children interested in the wider natural world, you might consider a day out at Beale Park. Sarah Bosley paid the Berkshire attraction a visit and discovered plenty of animal mischief as well as outdoor play areas to keep the family entertained. As the daylight hours get shorter and it gets a bit chillier, there is nothing more comforting than a nice bowl of soup. We’ve got some great recipes, including an easy-to- make pumpkin soup and some fun Bonfire Night party food ideas for adults and children alike. Or if you fancy a night off and going out for a meal, Angie Knight says The Five Bells at Wickham is definitely worth a visit. Maybe an evening in is more appealing and The Vineyard’s sommelier Romain Bourger gives you the lowdown on why Californian wines are up there with the best. Talking of wine, it’s not often these days that the bottles on the supermarket shelves have corks. But if you did happen to need a corkscrew, SAS Auctions are selling a selection of weird and wonderful designs all owned by one avid collector. There’s plenty more to read with our usual fashion, fitness and education features, as well as motors, books, interiors and travel, plus a round-up of what’s on in the coming months. Happy reading and happy Harvest season!

Editor’s picks

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Cover picture

Wild things

Bonfire Night

24 BEALE PARK

50 ON GALLOWS DOWN

38 FIREWORKS FOOD

Nature writer Nicola Chester extols the beauty of the West Berkshire countryside

Berkshire’s only wildlife park has plenty to entertain little ones

Some tasty ideas to add a spark to bonfire night parties

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CONTENTS

Autumn 2021

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Local view: Jonathan Hopson enjoys cycling in the Scottish borders Fashion: autumn fashion from the high street and local boutiques 13 Health & Beauty: look after your skin FEATURES 24 Animal magic: Beale Park is a great family day out 44 Proper cider: Meet the family behind Tutts Clump Cider 50 Interview: Nature writer Nicola Chester talks about the influences for her new book WELLBEING 15 Fitness: a few fitness myths busted 19 Mental health: Negative and positive effects of Covid on mental health 21 Education: preparing for the new school year FOOD & DRINK 34 Restaurant review: The Five Bells at Wickham 36 Mrs B: forward planning for a wedding and green bean recipe 38 Food for thought: bonfire party food 41 Pop Inn: The Furze Bush, Ball Hill 42 Top Tipples: the secret of Californian wine 46 Honesty: warming soup and sausage rolls 8

A Newbury News Ltd publication

LIFESTYLE 55 Antiques: Corkscrew collection 60 Interiors: Sofas and cushions 64 Gardening: David Cole’s hints and tips from the allotment 67 Pet talk: Combat isolation, travel requirements and Christmas treats ENVIRONMENT 68 Berkshire Farm Girl: Eleanor Gilbert’s autumn diary 72 Tales from a river keeper: Nick Richards keeps the river clean and clear LEISURE 76 Travel: eco-friendly attractions 79 Motors: the new breed of 4x4s 81 Book review: sibling rivalries and loyalties 83 What’s on: things to see and do 89 Astronomy: autumn night sky highlights COMPETITION 31 Win: Ticket to Christmas at Blenheim Palace

Cover Photograph: Ncola Chester on Combe Gibbet Picture: Phil Cannings

TO ADVERTISE IN OUT&ABOUT Abigail Reddin 01635 886612 abigail.reddin@newburynews.co.uk

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competition, and their families, are not eligible to enter. The editor’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. Responsibility not accepted for entries lost or torn in the post. Postal entries must be on the original form. There are no cash alternatives to the prize.

@outnaboutberks

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GROUP EDITOR ANDY MURRILL (01635) 886625 ANDY.MURRILL@NEWBURYNEWS.CO.UK OUT&ABOUT EDITOR GERALDINE GARDNER (01635) 886684 GERALDINE.GARDNER@NEWBURYNEWS.CO.UK ADVERTISING ABIGAIL REDDIN (01635) 886612 ABIGAIL.REDDIN@ NEWBURYNEWS.CO.UK PRODUCTION DESIGN ILIFFE DESIGN HUB PHOTOGRAPHY PHIL CANNINGS PUBLISHED ON THURSDAY 9TH SEPTEMBER. OUT&ABOUT IS A QUARTERLY MAGAZINE, PUBLISHED BY NEWBURY NEWS & MEDIA LTD, NEWSPAPER HOUSE, FARADAY ROAD, NEWBURY, BERKSHIRE RG14 2AD

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LOCAL VIEW

The Scottish Borders are a must for cyclists writes JONATHAN HOPSON

A s we head into autumn, I am returning to a favourite topic – extolling the many and varied virtues of the Scottish Borders. Duns is 10 miles north of the border between England and Scotland and is a thriving small market town. Duns Castle is a popular local attraction and was originally built in 1320 by Robert the Bruce’s nephew, the Earl of Moray. It has been home to the Hay family since 1696. There are numerous enjoyable walks throughout the estate, including a circuitous one around the delightfully-named Hen Poo lake. One of the best ways to get out and about in the Borders is by bike. The scenery to the north west of Duns is particularly picturesque, with a number of small lochs and reservoirs dotted among the hills. It was reassuring to note that posting a ride on the popular cycling app Strava during August, elicited a number of positive comments from fellow Berkshire cyclists along the lines of “really

Duns Castle

Ladykirk has historically been one of the most prolific beats on the Lower Tweed. During our recent visit, despite the low water level, one of our party managed to catch – and subsequently return to the river – a silvery 15lb salmon. Another member of the fishing party at Ladykirk was able to benefit the local wildlife by successfully rescuing a fledgling house martin from the river. To find out more about the Scottish Borders visit www.visitscotland.com/

Hen Poo Lake

love the area north west of Duns” and “It’s very special … whatever the weather!” Although plentiful sunshine is not a common feature of Scottish weather, a noticeable benefit to cycling in the Borders is a marked lack of traffic, particularly on B roads. Taking the B6355 road from Gifford, carefully dodging around the sheep in the road and avoiding coveys

of low-flying grouse on the moorland, the road gently descends to the impressive Whiteadder Reservoir (pronounced ‘Whit-add- er’) in the Lammermuir Hills. The recent protracted spell of mild weather had also attracted a few hardy types who could be seen swimming in the clear water. A few miles from Duns,

River Tweed at Ladykirk

Whiteadder reservoir

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O&A AUTUMN 2021

FASHION

Accessorize cable knit yellow poncho £32

Matalan star cardigan £18

Fatface jacket £59.50

WARM UP If you’re looking to update your wardrobe as we head into autumn, we think you’ll like these jumpers and coats available from the high street

Monsoon Zeena zip back jumper blue £39

Matalan Heart stripe jumper £16

Matalan Hooded Teddy Coat £30

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O&A AUTUMN 2021

Out&About fashion

FASHION

River Island cream check hooded puffa

Monsoon Beverley faux fur collar coat £110

£90

Accessorize Notting Hill check blanket scarf £20

F&F Bryce button neutral cardigan £16

Matalan Longline check shacket £40

F&F disruption fashion stripe £12

River Island chunky cardigan £45

River Island shacket £68

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O&A AUTUMN 2021

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day to provide exemplary attention to detail combined with maximum flavour in everything I produce. Most recently I have moved with my family to the Berkshire countryside and am enjoying building up my own catering business.

NATALIE ELLIS 07732 499882 www.cateringbynatalie.com Based in Wash Common, Newbury, Berkshire, RG20 0LG

TEL: 07732 499882 www.cateringbynatalie.com Based in Wash Common, Newbury, Berkshire, RG20 0LG

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Out&About fashion

LOCAL STYLE GUIDE

B the Lifestyle Shop, Newbury shopb.co.uk

Fifi & Moose, Newbury fifiandmooseboutique.online

Roxtons, Hungerford www.roxtons.co.uk

Faux fur coat £150

Adriana wrap dress £54.99

Coat Project £345.95

Penelope Chilvers Paradise trainer £219

Van Kukil cashmere jumper £299.95

Zebri cardigan £69.99

Narnio floral dress £65 Emma leather Chelsea boots £110

Trainer Meline £125.95

Felt wide brim fedora £125

O&A AUTUMN 2021

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Out&About health & beauty

HEALTH & BEAUTY

As the seasons change and we go from warm summer sun to autumn breezes, our skin can take quite a beating. We’ve found some environmentally-friendly skincare products, which we think you and your skin will love Perfect your body care with birch

A three step, cleanse features birch to help support natural detoxification, shifting lethargy, increasing vitality and restoring a healthy glow. The supple young birch leaves contain valuable flavonoids, which encourage secretion or elimination processes in the body, activating the kidneys to increase urine production, and stimulating the sweat glands to flush out

Clarifying foaming cleanser : gentle and mild with a natural cleansing system combining cotton seed, oat, and an essential ceramide blend to enhance skin moisturisation. 200ml RRP: £20 | Hydrate and Nourish day cream : a lightweight moisturiser with environment protection that smoothes and brightens skin. 50ml RRP: £30 | Hydrating toning mist : minimises the appearance of pores and evens skin tone. 100ml RRP: £20 | Luminating anti-ageing ce. This concentrated juice can added to a glass of water as a healthy drink, or for maximum detox benefits add two tablespoon (30ml) to a bottle of mineral water to consume at regular intervals through the day. A three to six week course is recommended to help shed lethargy and improve vitality Birch Pearl Scrub Body Scrub £10.50 150ml – exfoliator made with non-abrasive wax earls from eco-friendly ingredients: pure plant wax pressed from seeds he castor oil plant plus carnauba x harvested from the leaves of the nauba palm, plus fine Australian eeswax. Leaves skin soft and silky, the aroma-therapeutic benefits refresh as you shower thanks to the mix of essential oils that provide the natural fragrance. Birch Cellulite Oil £27.25 100ml – tones and firms skin, especially on thighs and hips. A blend of essential oils supports the toning effect of the other plant extracts. p a of t wa car b alba),without added sweeteners, and bl nded with refreshing lemon e jui be

Moksha beauty

serum : visibly fights the signs of ageing, including wrinkles, loss of firmness, dull complexion and dehydration. 50ml RRP: £39.50 | Restorative eye serum : helps reduce the appearance of wrinkles and dark circles. 30ml RRP: £29.50 | Deep cleansing balm : effortlessly removes dirt and makeup. 50ml RRP: £24 | Restore and Boost night cream : end the day with a touch of luxury. Helps to restore youthful looking skin. 50ml RRP: £38 C hoosing the right shower products has as big an impact on your body as any other part of your workout or active lifestyle routines. There’s nothing like rose to make a shower even more relaxing. Calm your mind while cleansing your body with Moksha Beauty cruelty-free shower gel that’s made with essential oils and organic ingredients. How amazing would it be to smell like roses all day long? This long lasting fragrance body wash will help cleanse your body without stripping it off its natural moisture. Moksha products are completely natural, safe for all skin types, without alcohol, no harmful synthetic additives, paraben- free and GMO-free. All products are vegan and vegetarian friendly as well. www.mokshabeauty.com

toxins. This diuretic effect was traditionally known as a ‘spring cure’. It can be hard to avoid cellulite which is a particularly female problem, linked to oestrogen levels. Once the cellulite process has started, the plump fat cells can also press in to the fine vascular and lymphatic

systems, restricting oxygen supply and making it more difficult for the skin to rid itself of toxins. This is where birch comes in. Birch Juice £11.95 250ml vegan – helps you detoxify and spring clean your body, healthily and naturally made from organic silver birch (Betula

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O&A AUTUMN 2021

With concerns about the environment rising up the political agenda ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow this November, staff at the Community Furniture Project were interested to read a recent report published by the Green Alliance Thinktank. Rising up the political agenda

The report concludes that a huge effort is needed to promote a ‘circular economy’ where waste is minimised by promoting reuse and repair. Chief Executive, Kelvin Hughes, commented “We are proud to have been an early pioneer of the ‘circular economy’ 21 years ago, when our charity was established. Every year since then we’ve prevented thousands of items from ending up in landfill by enabling them to be donated, repaired and recycled.” The CFP’s premises include workshops for repairing used electrical goods, furniture and bicycles before they are put out for sale in the shop. As well as helping the environment, their activities also benefit disabled and disadvantaged adults and young people in the local area, who can learn new skills and gain accredited qualifications by volunteering with the charity. CFP is always grateful for donations of used furniture, electrical items and household goods, which can be dropped off at the shop in Bone Lane, Newbury, or at their collection point at the Newtown Road Recycling Centre. Their van crews are also happy to collect larger items. Please call them on 01635 43933 to arrange a collection.

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Out&About wellbeing

Lessons learned from Covid Member of the Mental Health Action Group and Healthwatch West Berkshire Voluntary Board member ADRIAN BARKER looks at the findings of the effect of the coronavirus pandemic on people’s mental health C ovid has been exclusively bad for people’s mental health, right? Wrong! Actually there is a big

variation in whether, and how much, people have been affected. That was the lesson – since backed up by national research – from the fifth public ‘Thinking Together’ event organised by Healthwatch West Berkshire & The Mental Health Action Group, a sub group of The West Berkshire Health and Well Being Board. It brings together people with mental health problems, those who support them, the voluntary sector and the professionals from health, council and other services tasked with helping them get more balance to their Mental Health and manage their condition. Even if the experience of lockdowns was negative overall, most people found at least something positive. It could have been avoiding the commute or the stresses of going into work, it could have been having time to stroll in the many woods or countryside, that West Berkshire has to offer or it could be the community spirit and

neighbourliness that the pandemic threw up. However, overall, for the majority of people the experience was negative. For many there was concern at the encroaching epidemic or the loss of loved ones. Most people missed the opportunity to see friends and family face to face. The loss of income or trying to work from home while home-schooling children created additional stress.

word, was the increased use of technology for communications. Again, there were positive and negative aspects. For many, while not perfect, it did at least mean people could meet up again. It also cut down on the travel time for meetings. But for others, and especially those with existing mental health problems or (according to national research) those over 65, communicating via the computer actually made things worse rather than better. So there’s a lot to learn, not just for the next pandemic when – not if – it comes, but

also for everyday life. We need to build on the good things like neighbourliness and enjoying nature. Get rid of the bad things, like unnecessary stress at work. And we need to build on the innovations, like making better use of technology – but only where it works for people. But above all, we have to plan for the fact that everyone is different. If you’d like to find out more about Healthwatch West Berkshire’s Thinking Together events go to www. HealthwatchWestBerks.org. uk or call 01635 886 21.

The point is that how people were affected

depended on the particular permutation of interlocking factors – your job (or

lack of it), whether you have children at home, your living conditions,

personality and any existing mental health conditions. However, we didn’t just react to the pandemic, we found ways to deal with it. Perhaps the most obvious method, and the one that made Zoom a household

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O&A AUTUMN 2021

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Out&About wellbeing

FITNESS

Fitness instructor VICKI BROWN busts some myths about health and fitness

T here are so many myths linked to the health and fitness industry, so I thought I would highlight some of the popular ones and debunk them, to hopefully give you a little more clarity when it comes to your own health, fitness and wellbeing. You need to train every day Try and train consistently, but this does not mean you have to train daily. Rest and recovery are a vital part of making progress. For most people, training hard daily would put a high stress on the body and potentially affect sleep and lead to increased hunger. For example, less intense sessions focusing on quality and then keeping general activity up is most likely to be maintained long- term. Workouts need to be long to be worthwhile – at least one hour Consistency is far more effective than length of single workouts. If you find you never have enough time for an hour workout, try and find 10-15 minutes in your day – even one to five minutes if you are struggling to get started. This will increase your likelihood of completing sessions and doing themmore regularly.

of running. It may aid the balance of energy

expenditure and get you running fit, plus a great timesaver if you only have a small window of exercise opportunity or a lack of equipment available to you. You can turn fat into muscle/muscle turns to fat if you stop training Think of them as two separate things, they do not transform into the other. They increase in number and volume, but do not change what they are in the sense of muscle and fat. If you were to stop strength training, your body will not hold on to muscle it does not think it needs. As muscle mass decreases your body will not need to expend as much energy which can lead to gaining weight. Therefore, maintaining muscle mass is a good goal as we go through life. You have to start exercise young/ you can’t start lifting weights when you are older It is never too late to start. Whatever your age it is important to start from your capabilities, build a strong foundation and then try and be consistent, for life. The benefits to your physical and mental health are huge. It is not too late to start or get back to something that you used to enjoy. Go for it! n Are there any more myths that you have heard and not sure if they are true? Get in touch with me and I’ll try to answer them for you in future editions.

You can target an area and spot fat reduce Your body will reduce fat as it chooses. Unfortunately targeting the area you want to see change via exercise will not lead to this happening. Often you will see the quickest change in the last area you notice that weight has been put on. There are areas of our bodies that are predisposed to hold more fat. For example many women will have greater stores of fat around our reproductive system –stomach and hips – and therefore it is often the last place the body will want to lose it. Lifting heavy weights makes women bulky Building muscle is a slow process and therefore

building enough that would make you look considerably bigger would take a relatively long time. Without the high levels of testosterone, lifting weights ultimately helps prevent losing muscle mass and increase bone density in women. Building muscle should lead to a ‘toned’ look and perhaps a change in body shape. If you build muscle and have a high body fat percentage sometimes this can make you feel bigger. You must run to be fit and/ or lose weight If you want to be good at running, you need to run. It is a way to increase your cardiovascular fitness, but you do not have to do it to achieve a good level of fitness. Finding something that you enjoy and find easy to access is a good way to maintain a good fitness level, but ultimately your body will adapt to the activities in which you participate. A good question to ask yourself: what do you want to be able to do? Weight loss can come with or without the activity

Vicki Brown runs LiveFitNow, Wash Common, Newbury. T: 07879 447829 www.LiveFitNow.co.uk

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O&A AUTUMN 2021

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You’ve returned to exercise Why isn’t it working like it used to?

encouragement. Some exercises seem more open to “buddy” support, but in truth you can achieve this with everything you do at a gym; in fact it is well documented that people who exercise with a friend derive more exercise benefit than doing it alone, and you have someone to discuss your progress with, and motivating them can make you feel better too. One way to keep things fresh is to alternate your buddy; bad habits can appear if you get into a “comfort zone” with one other person. Our clients work with whoever the trainer is on that day, and they benefit from that variety of personalities. We also get the trainer to set up all the equipment and document the exercise; there is no reason you couldn’t do that yourselves if working with buddy, and it would also “mix it up” for you both. And one added side benefit - with someone watching you’ll probably do the exercises better, and the watcher will also learn things about improving their exercise form! Track yourself and your buddy You’ll amaze yourself once you start measuring your workouts, and you’ll be pleased to actually see the progress you are making. Nothing motivates like success, so seeing your number of repetitions go up, the weights improve, the duration into the spin class before your legs feel like lead - there is little that can’t be measured and everything will benefit from the endeavour. But will all these workouts and measurements lead to that holy grail of weight loss? well not necessarily, and actually we don’t believe that is a goal you should have. “Why not?” I hear you ask, and I’m afraid the answer is a little complicated but it is worth the read. Bodies comprise lots of different stuff - organs, skin, blood, muscle, fat, … - and they all take energy to keep alive. In fact one of the most energy consuming things that people do is … EAT! Digestion Thermogenesis (as it is called) is the energy expended by the body digesting food, and it is quite a large amount. Using energy merely to digest your lunch is one of the reasons people often feel lethargic after a (big) meal - there just simply isn’t enough energy available to stay alert and digest! The second big consumer of energy in our bodies is … our bodies. Estimates are that over 70% of the energy we need every day is merely to stay See adv rtis m nt opposite for details of how to book two free personal training sessions. Quote O&AQ42021

alive - not even get out of bed! - just laying still, keeping the organs, muscles and fat from dying. That number is referred to as the Basal Metabolic Rate. So if turn the equation on it’s head, only about 30% of what we should eat every day is used for DOING anything! Adding exercise won’t, by itself, increase that energy consumption very much, and so the fat won’t “melt away”. But proper exercise, that challenges the body and is difficult to do, will do one crucial thing - it will increase our MUSCLE MASS, often at the expense of FAT mass, which results (confusingly) in WEIGHT staying the same but BODY COMPOSITION (percentages of muscle & fat) changing so that more of you is muscle. And a pound (kilo, whatever) of MUSCLE consumes 10 times as much energy being kept alive than a pound of FAT - which means at the same weight but with more muscle you might need hundreds more calories to stay alive! Which is why challenging yourself at every workout to do a little more is the key to successful exercise, and measuring your progress with a buddy is one thing you can easily do, and enjoy your workouts more. Our Recommendations Our guidance for you is simple; on your return to formal exercise (running, swimming, the gym, classes, …) be kind to yourself - hurting yourself at the outset will only delay your path to fitness. Give yourself time to regain the form and the stamina, and then push yourself onwards - you will do much better that way; and get a buddy! Whatever position you are in, returning, starting, delaying, or considering, you have our sympathy. It has been a difficult year for all of us, even if nothing bad happened to yourselves or your families, so treat yourself well, look after yourself and your friends and your neighbours, and be positive about what your future holds.

The Thrill of Exercise! Gyms in the UK were allowed to reopen in mid - April and for those of us who had missed going to them during the lockdowns it was a time of great anticipation and excitement. We could at last get out of the house and return to gym classes, go to the pool, or get on the treadmill, after months of isolation and inactivity. But as we head towards autumn and the first few months after return are behind us, has the excitement begun to fade into staleness or, even worse, injury for you? In this piece we want to share some of the methods we use at Abstract Bodyworks, with our clients and for ourselves, to keep that motivation and interest in our exercise regimes fresh and alive. The Thrill is GONE! After the initial happiness that you could start exercising again, and work on the goals you set for yourself, it is not unlikely that these feelings of enthusiasm could have abated, and now going for a workout feels more like a chore than something you want to do. Part of that change of feeling is all the other activities we took on during the lockdowns — we filled our days well enough then and now those activities are pressing in on us and fighting for our precious time. So how can we all keep our motivation up in these new circumstances? One of the easiest ways to do this is constantly to challenge ourselves when we workout, but that can carry pitfalls as well. The foundation of good exercise is simple - know how we are currently doing so that we can compare our performance. Whatever form of exercise you prefer - classes, cardio, personal training, team sports, etc. - you have to “measure” where you are today, to see if you make any improvements tomorrow. That might seem easier with some exercises than others, but it is true for all. The measuring needs to be married to documenting (i.e. 40kg overhead press, 15 reps, 1 minute) but that doesn’t need to be onerous; if we don’t have smartphones to take our notes on, scraps of paper (which you KEEP!) do nicely. I was told a long time ago “you can only improve what you measure” - so start measuring today, and use that as part of your goal setting and (more importantly) PROGRESS! A great way to achieve measuring is through “buddy” training, working with someone who monitors your performance and provides

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Open 7 days a week - 10am - 4pm

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Out&About wellbeing

EDUCATION AMANDA BAILEY says a new school year is an opportunity to reflect, review and renew

Different stages in the year such as changing seasons, religious festivals and celebrations are occasions that provide a time for ‘fresh starts’. Going back to school is another one of those ‘moments’, often characterised by the smell of new shoes, a carefully- chosen lunchbox and brand-new pencil case. As the summer holidays end and a new school year begins, now is a perfect time to consider how to maintain that sense of emotional balance and wellbeing that a six- week holiday can create as family members share happy and relaxed experiences unfettered by the usual term-time constraints. To ease a successful transition back to school, it is a good idea to create routines which suit your children and family. To foster a calm start to the day, a laminated visual checklist with photos and captions can help younger children stay on track each morning. Maybe start the day 10-15 minutes earlier, as well as packing bags and sorting lunchboxes the night before. Weekly visual schedules keep everyone fully informed, providing a sense of security, supporting emotional regulation and well-being. Include time on the schedule for homework: by identifying it as an important task to be completed, it will also reduce the likelihood of arguments or daily negotiations about home-based school tasks. In the best learning environments, teachers provide appropriately using their knowledge of pupils’ understanding and skills. At home, foster a willingness in your child to show determination as well as resilience. Affirm and encourage these qualities and when something doesn’t work out in the way they wanted or expected, pause and challenging work, ensuring consolidation and progress

O&A AUTUMN 2021 n Amanda Bailey offers a number of bespoke and group courses to help children, young adults and families recue anxiety and increase calmness, visit www.beberkshire.co.uk or send an email to: amanda@beberkshire. co.uk or call/text on 07909502667 21 School Week’, even if it means driving part of the journey, some physical activity in the morning will set everyone up for a successful day. The Vagus nerve is the key player in the calm side of the nervous system and when activated suppresses the hormones that cause heightened emotions; it is the major communication system between the gut and the brain. So, when planning main meals, lunchboxes or snacks there are many foods specifically beneficial for the ‘gut-brain axis’. Omega-3 fats found in oily fish, yoghurt, cheese, grains, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables are an excellent choice, as are polyphenol-rich foods like cocoa, dark chocolate and olive oil, which promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut. Tryptophan-rich foods such as turkey, eggs and cheese contain amino acids that are converted into the feel-good chemical, serotonin. Foods high in magnesium, such as bananas, apricots, avocados, pumpkin seeds, cashews, almonds, and peanuts (including peanut butter) are also great for bringing about a feeling of calmness and relaxation. Importantly hydration is a significantly important part of self- care, as research shows; add fresh fruit to water or buy a bottle with motivational markings. A combination of predictable and consistent routines are key to lowering anxiety levels and creates more head space for us to attend to other important parts of our lives, as well as dealing with any unexpected occurrences that we have all become accustomed to in recent times.

acknowledge your child’s emotion, before allowing time to reflect, learn and grow. Remember to include time for self-care. Take time out to calm the heart rate, relax and quieten the mind, device-free. Learn to control the breath, by practising deep nasal breaths, engage in activities that relax you: look through photos of special events, be creative together, cook and eat together, walk, watch a film or listen to music. holidays, but a good night’s sleep before school brings great benefits, so gradually and incrementally move bedtime back to ‘term time’ routine in the last 7-10 days of the holidays. Each child’s sleep patterns will vary – some children need to be totally exhausted to sleep, while others need to relax and unwind for sleep. Walking, scooting or cycling to school provide obvious physical benefits, but is also great for mental well-being. Movement activates the Vagus nerve and production of ‘happy chemicals’ (endorphins), as children connect with the outdoor environment and family members. Don’t wait for the annual ‘Walk to Bedtime routines are often abandoned over the summer

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FESTIVAL THATCHAM 9-17 th October 2021 2021 H A M Over 35 events at various venues across Thatcham

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Highlights include: The Big Thatcham Fest Off,Words of Recovery,

Lost & Found Dance Gala,Award winning author talks Night at the Thatcham Proms and much, much more! Pick up a brochure at participating venues or at ThatchamTown Council Offices. See www.thatchamtowncouncil.gov.uk or @ThatchamFestival for individual event listings.

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Wild Berkshire

Beale Park is a family-friendly wildlife park tucked away on the banks of the River Thames and in an area of outstanding natural beauty. SARAH BOSLEY visited the park with her two daughters to see what attractions are on offer

S et in 35 acres, Beale Park reopened its doors to the public in April after the enforced Covid lockdown and has been welcoming crowds of smiling children ever since, something CEO Lucy Costello is delighted to see. “It’s just lovely to see happy children. And lovely to see children unplugged – no phones, no iPad, just running around enjoying themselves.” And it’s not just the staff who have been delighted to see visitors back at the park. The 160 different wildlife species that call Beale Park home seem to be just as excited that things have reopened. “We have absolutely loved having the visitors back and the animals love it too. You often don’t think that of an animal collection. “They are generally curious and so they absolutely loved it when the visitors came back. It was like they were on show again and they were happy to interact.

Wandering around the grounds it is clear that the park has remained true to the vision of founder Gilbert Beale, with a lot of green open space, tall mature trees, lakes and wildflower areas, interspersed among the animal enclosures. Bug houses, including Bug Ben, all created using recycled materials can also be seen in abundance as you venture around the park. For animal lovers there is plenty to enjoy as you can get up close to a number of beautiful creatures – from a host of different birds, alpaca, goats, donkeys, sheep and pigs to otters, coati, prairie dogs, capybara and meerkats. The highlights for my children when we visited this summer were seeing baby Doug, the otters and the squirrel monkey. Youngsters can get a really good look at Doug and his family of lemurs by climbing through the tunnel that leads to a little hut right in the

“Our lynx is a bit of a show-off. He arrived during lockdown so he had no experience of visitors and so we were a bit anxious about how he would react, but he just loves the public.” Finn, the Carpathian Lynx, is not the only new arrival at the park since the beginning of the Covid pandemic. As well as Lucy herself – who joined in November – a family of lemurs, including

the adorable baby Doug, a herd of rescued Shetland ponies, named Hector, Honey, Willow, Sweet Pea, Beauty and Silver, and three sibling Scottish wildcats, now one of Britain’s rarest mammals, have all arrived at the park. Another new addition for visitors to see is a West African Dwarf Crocodile – one of the world’s smallest crocodiles, this one is named Neville, thanks to a Facebook poll.

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Out & About feature

Beale Park from the train

At the Beale Park train station

middle of their enclosure. A fantastic experience for all the little ones. It is no surprise, given that Mr Beale was a keen collector and breeder of peacocks, that peafowl can also be seen wandering freely around the grounds. At each animal enclosure there are information boards, large pictures of some species and even some interactive games for the younger visitors – such as the lemur maze. And when the children have seen all of the animals there is plenty more to keep them occupied, including the much- loved Beale Park railway and, of course, the gift shop. Another new attraction this Walk, which was full of happy children thoroughly enjoying themselves throughout our whole time at the park – clearly a great addition to the park’s collection. A large pirate ship climbing frame is the centerpiece year is a large bouncing pillow, located on Maple

of the largest play area, which can be found next to a shallow paddling pool and beach area just outside the café. Numerous different options for lunch can be found, with the mature trees offering a wealth of shady picnic spots throughout the park and an indoor picnic area for those inevitable rainy days. Another new addition is the transformation of the pavilion into a café, which is run by the Honesty Group, offering food and drinks away from

the throng of the play area and with beautiful views of the grounds. For those wanting some peace and tranquility there are plenty of benches to enjoy the quieter spots in the park, a Japanese garden and a large lake. Welcoming visitors through the gates is key to the survival of Beale Park, which is a charity. It does not receive any additional funding and all tickets sold help provide the food and care every animal needs.

Lucy says that they were all delighted that memberships had risen “hugely this year compared to any previous year”. “When we opened on April 12, we were overwhelmed and delighted at the response and at the amount of people that came in to support us. We are so, so grateful.” As well as continuing its local conservation, such as dormouse boxes, Beale Park hopes to eventually build lasting links with a

O&A AUTUMN 2021 Continued on page 27 25

A 35 - a c r e a dv e ntu r e o n th e b a n ks o f th e R i v e r Tha m e s n e a r P a n gbo u r n e

Spooky Halloween fun Ghost train, brooMstick making, meet the bugs and more

160 species of wildlife play areas, bouncy pillow, Train, tranquil gardens and cafes

BEALEPARK.ORG.UK

NEWBURY APPLE DAY Explore, enjoy and celebrate apples! Saturday 9th October Market Place, Newbury 9am - 3.30pm Bring along your apples and turn them into juice For more information go to www.growingnewburygreen.org.uk

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Out & About feature

The train ride at Beale Park conservation charity to help animals across the world. The long term goal is to “really make an impact, really make a difference to the plight of wildlife outside of the UK. To make a difference and to do right by them.” Lucy says that the park’s work encompasses three main pillars – breeding for conservation, rescuing animals in need and rewilding. There are a number of ways the public can get involved and help make that difference too, by visiting the park, buying membership, adopting an animal or supporting its newer initiatives such as the zoo club. Also keep an eye out for a new Madagascan project,

which could offer you the chance to get even closer to those cute and cuddly lemurs. l Beale Wildlife Park is located at Lower Basildon, six miles from Reading on the A329 between Pangbourne and Streatley. It has everything you could want for a family day out, especially with young children. https://bealepark.org.uk/

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The Winter edition is next published in November

For more information on the magazine call Abigail 01635 886612 or email abigail.reddin@newburynews.co.uk

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#YOURNBS SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY

Do you live in or near our branch towns? Do you care about your local environment? Share what environmental sustainability means to you at home or in your community. PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION If the answer is yes, then the #YourNBS Sustainable Community Photo Competition gives you the chance to show your photographic skills and inspire others to lead more sustainable lives. Whether you have an SLR camera or a mobile phone, photos taken in the home or in your local community are welcome; • a pic of your vegetable patch, your composter, your ‘bee friendly’ garden or a stylish shot of your plastic-free kitchen; • pictures of local sustainable community projects or environmental volunteering work. The winning photographer will receive a large print of their winning image, a £50 gift voucher of their choice and have their image featured on the cover of our 2022 members calendar – 11 other photos will be selected as highly commended and will also be included in the calendar, the highly commended entrants will each receive a £20 gift voucher of their choice .

The competition closes at 23.59, Sunday 17th October 2021.

Visit our website www.newbury.co.uk to enter. Terms and conditions apply.

Call: 01635 555700 | Visit: www.newbury.co.uk

Newbury Building Society is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority (Financial Services Register number 206077). English Law applies and we will communicate with you in English. We are participants of the Financial Ombudsman Service. We have a complaints procedure which we will provide on request. Most complaints that we cannot resolve can be referred to the Financial Ombudsman Service. 8421

Building Society Newbury

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