tyne & wear issue 29

& living in Tyne & Wear

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9RetiredLYNDABELLINGHAMWHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET WITH THIS CALENDAR GIRL

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2011/12

GET OUT AND ABOUT WITH NEXUS THIS WINTER!

INSIDE

TRAVELUNDER THE TUSCAN SUN

LEGALSINTONSBECAUSE FAMILY MATTERS

HEALTHSPIRE WASHINGTON HOSPITALA RETURN TO MOBILITY

If there’s one thing that has helped keep up fit and on our feet in the last 50 years it’s the increase in the technology and availability of hip and knee replacements.

Hip replacements were first performed in this country in the 1960s, with knee and ankle replacements since the 1970s. In England and Wales each year, around 160,000 of us are able to enjoy a new lease of life and mobility thanks to our new hip and knee joints and, if you’ll forgive the pun, ankles are quickly catching up.

For many people, hip or knee surgery not only signals a return to mobility but usually leaves behind grinding daily pain.

If hip pain is so severe it interferes with quality of life including sleep, medication is not working and everyday tasks are difficult, it might well be the right time for a hip replacement. Most adults having them are over 65, and women tend to need them more than men.

The most common reasons for hip replacement are: osteoarthritis (when the connecting tissue between the joint is damaged, causing the bones to run together painfully), rheumatoid arthritis (when the immune system attacks the lining of the joint resulting in pain and stiffness), septic arthritis (when the joint becomes infected), Paget’s disease (affecting bone growth), bone tumours and other joint injuries.

Always speak to your GP about hip problems because they will know your history and examine you, and may want to have an x-ray to confirm their diagnosis. Your overall health is important before any major surgery, so your GP will want you to be as healthy as possible beforehand.

Breathing exercises will help to prevent chest complications, foot and ankle exercises maintain circulation and leg exercises aid maintenance of muscle strength. Before surgery, a physiotherapist will also discuss your rehabilitation programme and how to use walking aids like crutches and sticks.

After surgery, you’ll need some help at home for six weeks and you won’t be allowed to bend down to your feet so you’ll need some assistance with washing. You’ll also need help with the shopping for a while.

You’ll need a suitable armchair to sit in, a high stool for use in the kitchen and a raised toilet seat (the latter two can be loaned by your occupational therapist). Equipment to help you get dressed safely and without bending too much is also available.

Before your surgery, you’ll attend the hospital for a pre-operative assessment to ensure you’re fit for surgery and that you understand the nature of the operation. There will be medical checks like blood and urine tests and you’ll be screened for MRSA as well as possibly having further x-rays.

This is also an opportunity to discuss your surgery, what happens afterwards and talk about the aids you’ll need to help your recovery. At some stage, your written consent for the surgery will also be taken.

Patients are usually admitted either on the day of surgery or the day before. Your leg will be prepared for surgery with the correct side marked, and you’ll be seen by the anaesthetist who will discuss the different types of anaesthesia.

The surgery replaces both the natural socket and the rounded ball at the top of the thigh bone with artificial parts. The surgeon will remove the upper part of the thigh bone (femur) and the natural socket for the head of the femur is hollowed out.

A plastic or ceramic socket is fitted into the hollow in the pelvis and a short, angled metal shaft with a smooth ball on its upper end is placed in to the hollow of the thigh bone. The plastic cup and the artificial bone head may be pressed into place or fixed with acrylic cement.

The day after the hip operation, you’ll be given a pair of surgical stockings to be worn day and night, to prevent Deep Vein Thrombosis. You return to the ward, or recovery room, lying on your back probably with a triangular pillow between your legs apart to protect the new joint.

For both hip and knee replacement surgery, you may have a catheter inserted into your bladder to help drain urine. You may have an intravenous line in your arm, and you will probably be given oxygen – all of which are normal for major operations like these.

Expect to begin getting up and about the first day after your operation once the wound drains have been removed. The physiotherapist will help with mobility and teach you how to get out of bed correctly to prevent any damage to your new hip.

As your confidence and leg control improve, you’ll progress to walking with crutches or sticks – all with physio help – and probably be in hospital around five days. You may need to use your walking aids for up to six weeks but this varies from person to person.

Hip replacements currently last 20 to 30 years.

A damaged, worn or diseased knee – arthritis is again the chief culprit – is an ideal candidate for knee replacement surgery. There are two major types of surgery involved – total knee replacement and partial (half) knee replacement depending on the amount of damage.

And, as with hip surgery, candidates need to be well enough for both a major operation and rehabilitation afterwards. Most candidates are over 65, and just over half are women.

Surgery involves removing the worn ends of the bones in your knee joint and replacing them with metal and plastic parts. In total knee replacement, both sides of the knee joint are replaced in a procedure lasting one to three hours.

You’ll begin moving about the next day, once the wound drains have been removed, and the physio will help with mobility. Like hip surgery, you’ll be discharged once you are able to get up and down the stairs safely and have regular physio afterwards.

With proper care, the replacement knee should last 15 to 20 years.

Awaiting Orthopaedic treatment?

Are you suffering with joint pain, want to be seen quickly in a clean and safe hospital? Spire Washington Hospital has a regionally acclaimed orthopaedic service which features a team of specialist orthopaedic consultant surgeons, highly trained nursing staff, first class physiotherapists and consultant radiologists.

The hospital can provide rapid access to state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging, so whether your clinician believes MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), x-ray or ultrasound would be the most appropriate to support your diagnosis; you will be able to take advantage of highly sophisticated technology within a comprehensive hospital setting.

Treatment at Spire Washington Hospital is available to all, whether you have private medical insurance or are looking to pay for your own treatment.

The hospital offers all its patients:• Rapid-access appointments• Consultant led clinics• State-of-the-art diagnostic imaging• Specialist physiotherapists• Excellent nursing care• Safe and clean surroundings with very low infection ratesSpire Washington Hospital is a full service facility with three theatres, a dedicated High Dependency Unit, on-site MRI and x-ray.

If you would like to discuss the options available to you at Spire Washington Hospital, please call

0191 418 8687 or visit

www.spirewashington.com

Need a new Hip or Knee?A return to mobility….

4 www.retiredmagazines.co.uk

12-1310-11

Health and Safety and Hot Air!Reading the entire collection of Health and Safety rules which dictate our lives today would be a suitable prison sentence for murder. New ones are added daily by some overpaid barmpot in Whitehall and two I came across recently are worthy of mention.

In the beautiful Bronte village of Haworth there is an annual event in June to celebrate the 1940s. Everyone and their granny descends on the village, some villagers have been known to move out for the weekend to avoid the crush, and many dress in period costume singing “We’ll Meet Again” increasingly loudly as the local brew takes effect.

Until three years ago part of the spectacle was a fly past by retired World War Two aeroplanes, usually a Spitfire, a Hurricane or a Lancaster Bomber. Now these planes are still air worthy after seventy years but some clown in Bradford Council’s Health and Safety asylum decided there was a problem.

The Spitfire won the Battle of Britain. Hitler and his army eventually chucked the towel in because they couldn’t down enough of the planes to win. It’s a good job Bradford Council wasn’t on his side or he’d have won.

The organisers of the Forties Weekend had to conduct a Health and Safety and feasibility study and here was one of the questions:-

“What was the likelihood of one of the planes crashing onto the village during the flypast?”

Now we don’t see many Fokkers or Messerschmitts over Haworth these days and the Home Guard was disbanded some years ago. The only aerial threat we have is from rooks and the occasional duck with a dicky tummy, which might necessitate wearing a tin helmet on windy days.

I think we had the greatest confidence that the pilots would have successfully cleared the village without a mass slaughter of the population, but, no, we couldn’t have a fly past.

10,000 people squeezed onto our tiny cobbled streets that weekend. Traffic management had a pink fit as the hordes parked their cars anywhere and everywhere. Hermann Goerring was spotted having a pint in The Fleece but we couldn’t have aeroplanes using the only empty space in the valley…the sky.

Were all flights from Leeds-Bradford airport suspended for the day in case the lunch time Ireland plane crashed in Central Park? They were not.

There was a famous wartime phrase which said, “Your country needs you”. I suggest the same does not apply to the Health and Safety nitwits of today.

Graham Smith has a TwitterBut is he right or wrong?

TRAVEL & LEISURE10-11 Under The Tuscan Sun

17-19 Village Hotel Getting Fit and so much more...

ADVICE12-13 Safer Driving This Winter

INTERVIEW14-15 Interview Lynda Bellingham talks to Retired.

Inside...

McGrath Media.Unit 6 | Moses Gate Workshops Gladys Street | Bolton | BL3 2QG.T: (01204) 796 494 | F: (01204) 791594e: [email protected]

Dear Reader,

Welcome to the latest local Retired magazine which we hope you will sit back and enjoy at your leisure. Our journalists Angela Kelly, Graham Smith and Sheila Alcock are continuing to keep you well informed with their celebrity interviews and up to date household tips.

We know you will also be left with a smile on your face after reading Graham’s observations on life!

If you know of an event which would benefit from free publicity please feel free to let us know and we can consider including it in our next issue.

17-1914-15

5

OUT & ABOUT

Events - Parks and CountrysideAncient Tree HuntSunday 4 December 1.30 – 3.30pm

Ouseburn ParksCome along to find out more about the Woodlands Trust Ancient Tree Hunt and how you can get involved to help us measure the Ancient Trees in your local parks and beyond! The event will start with a short talk and then we will set off on a walk to find and measure some Ancient Trees. Booking Essential. Please contact the Rangers on 0191 2812082 for more information and access details.

Christmas WreathsThursday 15 December 10.30am – 12.30pm

Ouseburn Parks Visitor Centre - Jesmond DeneCome and have a go at making your own Christmas Wreath. All materials will be provided but if you have a pair of secateurs please bring them with you. Places are limited; book early to ensure your place, 0191 2812082 and for more information. There will be a charge of £5 to cover costs. This is an event for adults, so no under 14s.

Family Festive FunSunday 18 December 1 – 3.30 pm

Ouseburn Parks Visitor Centre - Jesmond DeneA joint event with the Volunteers, Friends of Jesmond Dene and the Rangers . Come and try your hand at making some simple Christmas decorations from natural and recycled materials. There will be music, light refreshments, tombola and raffles. This is a drop in event. For more information please contact the Rangers on 0191 2812082.

Childrens Christmas Crafts Tuesday 20 December 10.30am - 12.30pm

Ouseburn Parks Visitor Centre - Jesmond DeneA joint event with Northumberland Wildlife Trust (NWT) and the Rangers. Come along and have fun creating Christmas crafts to take home with you. This is a children's event and there is a suggested donation of £2.50 per child for non-members or free if join membership today. Recommended minimum age 5 years. Children must be accompanied. Bookings essential. For bookings and more information please contact NWT 0191 284 6884.

Wild Winter Wednesday 21 December 11am – 3pm

Ouseburn Parks Visitor Centre – Jesmond DeneCollect a nature trail from the visitor centre and follow the clues through Jesmond Dene to find out what happens to the plants and animals during the cold winter months.

This is a drop in event. For more information phone (0191) 281 2082.

Subscription FormTo receive the next two issues of Retired Magazine hot off the press, either for yourself or to treat a friend, please fill in the form below and post with a cheque for £3.40 made payable to McGrath Media: Unit 6, Moses Gate Workshops, Gladys Street, Bolton BL3 2QG.

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Does Your Family Matter? Why you should have a Will, how it helps your

family and what you must consider

You can download a copy of our new free booklet ‘Does your Family Matter?’ atwww.howtomakeyourwill.co.uk

where you will discover:

• Howaproperlydrawnup Willgivesyousecurity andpeaceofmind• Whymakingyour wishesclearisimportant toavoidingfamily disputes• Howtominimiseboth InheritanceTaxand CapitalGainsTaxasfar aspossible• Howtostructureyour affairstoplanforcarehomefees.

Download our new free booklet that helps you with your Will.Our stand at a recent event at Newcastle Racecourse was a hive of activity. It was genuinely intriguing to hear people in their early 30’s who have just had their first child, to single people in their 40’s and those in their 70’s with grandchildren, talk about why they do - and perhaps more importantly, don’t - get around to actually making a Will.

We posed a simple, direct statement:

If you care about your family………1. Make sure you have a Will2. Make sure it’s up to date3. Make sure it can be found

Many people seem to readily appreciate the real benefits of having a Will. Who could argue that making your wishes clear is better for everyone? Or that appointing suitable guardians for your children is essential? Making sure others know where to find your Will proved trickier – not everyone was sure where their own Will was, let alone those of their close relatives!

8 good reasons for making a Will• Yourwishesarecleartoeveryone• Youdecidewhichrelatives,friendsandothers benefit from your Will• Youchoosewhowilladministeryourestateand carry out your wishes• Youavoidpossibledisputesamongfamilymembers• Youminimiseinheritancetaxasfaraspossible• Yourfuneralarrangementsarecarriedoutasyou wish• Youavoidthestatetakingyourassets• YouensureothersknowhowtofindyourWille.g. by registering with Certainty e-Will vault

Those people who already had Wills were often unsure whether changes in their circumstances meant they needed to alter their Will. As a rough guide, it’s worth reviewing a Will about every five years to take account of changes in tax and other legislation.

However, major life events such as getting married or entering a civil partnership, becoming divorced, having children or grandchildren, being widowed or gaining significant wealth through a business or inheritance, shouldalwayspromptyoutoreviewyourWill.Youare likely to make significant changes to your Will as a result of these events in terms of who you wish to leave your money and assets to.

Is my Will still right?Since you last made your Will have you:• Inheritedmoneyorassets?

• Hadanysignificantchangesinfamilyandpersonal circumstances, such as beneficiaries or executors having predeceased you?• Married,re-married,enteredintoacivilpartnership, divorced or dissolved a civil partnership or separated from your spouse or civil partner?

• Hadgrandchildrenwhoyouwanttomakeprovision for?• Identifiedcharitiesandcausesyouwishtoleave specific gifts to? But it’s perhaps the softer or emotional factors around Wills that still makes some people hesitate, delay or even avoid making a Will altogether. Protecting your family from the stress of having to deal with your affairs when there isn’t a Will in place, is definitely something to be avoided.

8 Reasons Why Wills Matter…By Julie Garbutt, Sintons LLP

If you have any questions at all about preparing or updating your Will, please contact Julie Garbutt for a free discussion on Tel: 0191 226 7878 or [email protected]

Family matters

Family matters can be enormously complex. Whether happy or sad, from the earliest days to the latter years,

Sintons will help you make the right choices for yourself and your family.

Want to buy or sell a property, make the most of your assets, or leave something to future generations? We will

discuss your options in a relaxed, friendly and straight forward manner.

We would welcome the opportunity to meet you, and would like to offer you a free 30 minute consultation

with absolutely no obligation. Email Julie Garbutt at [email protected] or contact her on

0191 226 7878 to arrange a meeting.

Sintons. Because family matters

Sintons LLP, The Cube, Barrack Road, Newcastle upon Tyne. NE4 6DB Tel. 0191 226 7878 Fax 0191 226 7850 Email [email protected]. Regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority

Ten things that really matter to families can be found at www.sintons.co.uk/10things

Business | Individuals | Personal Injury | Public Sector

Want to buy or sell a property, make the most of your assets, or leave something to future generations? We will discuss your options in a relaxed, friendly and straight forward manner.

We would welcome the opportunity to meet you, and would like to offer you a free 30 minute consultation with absolutely no obligation. Email Julie Garbutt at [email protected]

or contact her on 0191 226 7878 to arrange a meeting.

Sintons. Because family mattersTen things that really matter to families can be found at

www.sintons.co.uk/10things

Business | Individuals | Personal Injury | Public Sector

Regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

Family matters are always important. Whether happy or sad, from the earliest days to the latter years, Sintons will help you make the right

choices for yourself and your family.

OUT & ABOUT

H O L I D A Y SClassic Holidays are a well established coach company, offering a high level of service for over 25 years. We boast a wide range of eclectic holidays, ranging from city breaks, scenic tours, seaside resorts and more! As well as all of this, we have an extensive day tour programme, offering local pickups throughout the North East and include something for everyone.

Check out our latest offers and book from the comfort of your own home by visiting our website where you will find our holidays, day trips, itineraries and information about our regular service to and from Blackpool.

10% Discount on all bookings made in 2011!*

To book or to request a copy of any of our brochures please call us on 01207 282225 or visit our online booking system at www.classiccoachesholidays.co.ukDirect bookings only, please quote reference number RET11 when making your booking. # Subject to availability

WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE COACHES AVAILABLE ON OUR TOURS#

Winter Festival 2011There are more than 12 days of Christmas in NewcastleGateshead as Winter Festival falls for another year of Christmas markets and festive shopping, special performances and fantastic celebrations.

Highlights include Enchanted Parks (7 – 11 December), transforming Saltwell Park into a winter wonderland full ofsurprisesandtheNewYear’sEveWinterCarnival,with Norse mythologies, Viking folklore and North East traditions flowing through this year’s celebrations, bringing a magical wintry twist to the traditional carnival theme. And join us in January as we usher in theYearoftheDragonforthe2012ChineseNewYear.

“Created and developed by NewcastleGateshead Initiative, the Winter Festival will add some warmth to the cold winter evenings and sprinkle a bit of magic across NewcastleGateshead at this special time of year.

It’s an opportunity for local artists and performers to show what amazing talent we have here in the North East. We look forward to welcoming you to one of the many events in the NewcastleGateshead Winter Festival.” Carol Bell, head of culture and major events at NewcastleGateshead Initiative

For more information please visit www.newcastlegateshead.com/winter-festival

New Years Eve Monster Ceilidh Bash31 December 2011 7.30pm

Celebrate New Years Eve is style at Arts Centre Washington and enjoy a night of dancing and great food and drink.

Get on your feet and join in the fun at our wonderful Ceilidh. Don’t worry if you don’t know the dances as a “Caller” will lead you through all of them.

ProvidingthemusicforourNewYearsEveCeilidhwillbe the high energy, fun loving Monster Ceilidh Band.

Come along for the perfect way to see in 2012.

There is also a buffet included in the price of the ticket.

Tickets are limited for this event and must be pre-booked.

For more information please visit www.artscentrewashington.co.uk


Saturday 7th & Sunday 8th MayGreenwood Working EventOrganised by ‘Friends of theGarden.’Botanic Garden, 10am-5pm

Saturday 7th & Sunday 8th MayWorld Heritage Site WeekendVisit the marquee on PalaceGreen for FREE family activities,tours and talks.Palace Green Library

Sunday 8th MayFriends of the Garden PlantSaleBotanic Garden, 11am-4pm

Friday 13th MayMuseums at Night: SpookyStorytellingCome along and listen to spookystories. Refreshments provided.Old Fulling Mill, 6pm-8pm

Friday 13th MayMuseums at Night Event:Amazing AstronomyIn association with the launch ofan exhibition celebratingThomas Wright, feed yourfascination with the sky at night.Palace Green Library SpecialCollections, 6pm-8pm

Saturday 14th MayFamily StorytellingNorth East artist and writer IngridSylvestre will be doing specialstorytelling sessions in thegreenhouse.Botanic Garden, 11am & 12noon

14th May – 9th JulyThomas Wright of Durham;Astronomer, Architect &Garden Designer, 1711-1786Exhibition on the remarkableThomas Wright.Palace Green Library SpecialCollections, Exhibition

Saturday 14th MayMay Day MadnessMake a flower garland tocelebrate May Day.Botanic Garden, 2pm-4pm

Wednesday 1st June & Friday 3rd

JuneAncient EgyptiansMake an Egyptian cartouche andlearn about hieroglyphs.Old Fulling Mill, 1pm-3pm

Wednesday 1st June & Saturday11th JuneFamily StorytellingNorth East artist and writer IngridSylvestre will be doing somespecial storytelling sessions in thegreenhouse.Botanic Garden, 11am & 12noon

Saturday 4th & Sunday 5th JuneWorld Environment DayFollow our exciting riverbank trail!Old Fulling Mill, 1pm-3pm

Saturday 11th JuneFantastic FathersCreate a special gift for Father’sDay.Botanic Garden, 2pm-4pm

Saturday 18th & Sunday 19th

JuneCelebrate the Summer SolsticeTry traditional solstice crafts.Old Fulling Mill, 1pm-3pm


JunePerfect PotsMake a pot to take home.Old Fulling Mill, 1pm-3pm

Saturday 2nd & Sunday 3rd JulyDinosaursMake a scary T-Rex and fossilfootprint to take home.Old Fulling Mill, 1pm-3pm

Saturday 9th JulyHealthy HerbsPlant up some seeds to grow yourown.Botanic Garden, 2pm-4pmSaturday 16th & Sunday 17th

JulyFestival of British Archaeology– The Dinky DigWear some old clothes andprepare to get muddy!Old Fulling Mill, 11am-3pm

Saturday 23rd JulyFestival of British Archaeology– Flint KnappingWith expert Karl Lee. Not suitablefor very young children.Old Fulling Mill, 11am-4pm

Sunday 24th JulyMG Car DisplayDurham MG Owners Clubshowcase their cars.Botanic Garden, 10am-4pm

Wednesday 27th JulyAncient EgyptMake an Egyptian amulet.Oriental Museum, 1pm-3pm

Saturday 30th & Sunday 31st

JulyFestival of British Arcaeology –Tibias, Fibulas & Funny BonesHelp make a life-size burialchamber and a mini skeleton.Old Fulling Mill, 1pm-3pm

Tuesday 2nd & Thursday 4th

AugustThe Rotten RomansMake a 3D colosseum andgladiator to take home.Old Fulling Mill, 1pm-3pm

Wednesday 3rd & Wednesday31st AugustIslamMake a prayer mat and learnabout Ramadan.Oriental Museum, 1pm-3pm

Wednesday 3rd & Wednesday17th AugustTeddy Bear’s PicnicEnter your bear into the mostloved teddy competition, andcreate bear-y good artwork.Botanic Garden, 10am-4pm

Friday 5th & Wednesday 17th

AugustJapanMake a Japanese kite.Oriental Museum, 1pm-3pm

.

Wednesday 10th & Saturday 13th

AugustFamily Story Telling DayNorth East artist and writer IngridSylvestre will be doing somespecial storytelling sessions in thegreenhouse.Botanic Garden, 11am & 12noon

Wednesday 24th AugustJays Animal EncountersThe zoo comes to the BotanicGarden, from cute & cuddly tosmooth & scaly.Botanic Garden, 11am-3pm

Thursday 1st SeptemberDinosaursMake a scary T-Rex and fossilfootprint to take home.Old Fulling Mill, 1pm-3pm


SeptemberHeritage Open DaysFree admission to DurhamUniversity attractions.Durham University VisitorAttraction Sights

Monday 17th -Sunday 23rd

OctoberBook FestivalEvents and activities with a literarythemePalace Green

Tuesday 25th-Thursday 27th

OctoberCelebrate ScienceA free 3-day celebration bringingscience to life for children andteenagers.Palace Green, 10am-4pm

Saturday 22nd & Sunday 23rd

OctoberFood FestivalCelebrating the best of regional,national and international food anddrink with markets and events.Palace Green Event

What’s OnInstitute of Advance Study Lecture SeriesFREE and open to all.

1 December 20115.30-6.30pmEnergy from Microalgae: Biofuels Dream or Environmental Nightmare?

Professor Kevin Flynn(Swansea University)The Ustinov Room, Van Mildert College

Full Lecture series available at www.durham.ac.uk/ias

Future Exhibitions at the Oriental Museum

9th December – June 2012‘Living only for the moment’

Japanese woodblock prints and the birth of manga

Events & Family Activities

Friday 2nd to Sunday 4th DecemberDurham Traditional Christmas Festival

Craft stalls and family entertainment this yearly festival is bigger than everPalace Greenwww.durhamchristmasfestival.com

Saturday 10th December Christmas at the Garden

Fun family event including a festive Circus workshop, reindeer hunt and activities for the family. Christmas craft making using nature- inspired Christmas cards.Botanic Garden 10am-4pm

Saturday 7th & Sunday 8th JanuaryDinosaurs

Recreate the world of dinosaurs by making dinosaur diorama.

Old Fulling Mill, 1pm-3pm

Monday 23rd January – Monday 6th FebruaryChinese New Year Activities

Daily. Monday 6th February - Special late night opening. See the museum lit by lanterns, hunt the dragon and join in the parade.

Oriental Museum 6pm – 8pm

Saturday 11th February to Sunday 19th FebruaryLovely Literature

Drop into Palace Green Library and try your hand at creating a work of literature

Palace Green Library

Saturday 11th FebruaryMagic Modelling

Celebrate the arrival of Spring by Creating a Green Man out of clay

Botanic Garden 2pm – 4pm

Tuesday 14th & Thursday 16th FebruaryThe Super Stone Age

Take inspiration from the Old Fulling Mill’s collections and make your own piece of rock art to take home.

Old Fulling Mill, 1pm – 3pm

Wednesday 15th FebruaryWhizzing Windmills

Make a windmill and see how fast you can make it spin

Botanic Garden 2pm – 4pm

Friday 17th FebruaryAncient Egyptians

Make an Egyptian Mummy

Oriental Museum 6pm – 8pm

Saturday 17th & Sunday 18th MarchMedieval Craft Weekend

Take inspiration from Medieval craftsmen and make a stained glass window.


Saturday 24th & Sunday 25th MarchRiverbank Weekend

Come along and learn all about Durham’s riverbanks and make a woodland creature to take home.


Easter Sunday 8th April & Easter Monday 9th April Annual Easter Chick Hunt

A fun family event around the garden organised by our 'Friends of the Garden'. A nest full of Easter chicks have hatched and escaped! They are believed to be hiding in the Botanic Garden! Come along and see how many you can spot. Free goodies for the winners!

Botanic Garden, 10am-4pm

Strung along 18km of serrated cliffs between Levanto and La Spezia, the Cinque Terre is one of Italy’s treasures. These five higgledy-piggledy

villages Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore are cut off by mountains, choked with olive groves and dry-stone-walled vineyards, where farmers have eked out a living over the centuries. The Cinque Terre became a Unesco World Heritage site in 1997, which includes a protected marine area, and became a national park (Parco Nazionale delle Cinque Terre) in 1999. Wine growers still use monorail mechanisms to ferry themselves up and the grapes down these unique lands, and in some cases have to harvest by boat as access is restricted. If the terraced hillsides are not worked, they will quite literally slide into the sea.

National park status has spared the area from a propagation of tourism and the tacky souvenir stands that come with it and saved it from environmental destruction. Cars and motorbikes are not allowed in the villages, instead they are connected by train. In the villages, electric buses scale the sheer streets. Park authorities close walking paths when numbers become too great, so it�s best to arrive in the cool and relative calm of the early morning.

EATING/DRINKINGGrapevines and olive trees cover the hillsides, so wine and oil are a must on the restaurant tables. They prove excellent companions for the salted anchovies of Monterosso served in olive oil as well as the many specialty fish dishes and authentic gastronomic delights.

The cuisine of the Cinque Terre almost perfectly conserves the characteristics of yesteryear; the respect for the flavours and fragrances of the primary ingredients. Trofie is a kind of pasta made from chestnut or wheat flour, It’s condiment is still pesto sauce, an original Ligurian sauce made from basil leaves, extra virgin olive oil, grated parmesan cheese and pine nuts. Torte di verdura - vegetable pies -are prepared with a stuffing containing parsley, marjoram, wild local herbs, artichokes, zucchini, potatoes and leeks, combined with egg and ricotta cheese or with stale bread soaked in milk or béchamel sauce and parmesan cheese. The pie crust is very thin, because flour was a very precious commodity. Torta di riso - rice pie - is a specialty of every Italian grandma in the region. Frittate - flat omelettes - are popular today as the ‘frittata’ has been rediscovered as a tasty antipasto. Another important dish on the tables of the Cinque Terre population was cotoletta di acciuga, anchovies stuffed with a breadcrumb based filling and then fried. The fritelle di bianchetti, fritters made from tiny newborn anchovies or sardines, were also highly appreciated. Following the seamen’s gastronomic traditions, other dishes included stewed cuttlefish, stuffed calamari and spiced octopus.

SLEEPINGNumerous villagers have rooms to rent: look for signs reading camere (rooms) or affittacamere (rooms for rent). Accommodation booking offices in Riomaggiore are really helpful and can help you organise a room ahead of time. The town of Levanto is bigger and has a lot of accommodation including hotels, bed & breakfasts

Under the Tuscan Sun


11

and even camping areas where you can rent a tent with two beds and linens for very low prices!

Note: Breakfast in an Italian hotel or B&B will be some slices of bread and a croissant, butter, jam and coffee with orange juice if you are lucky. This is a typical Italian breakfast so if you can get a room without breakfast and head down to the nearest cafe where there is a larger choice.

GETTING AROUNDTake the train to La Spezia and change onto the regional (“Regionale”) train that makes all the local stops in the Cinque Terre mostly through tunnels. All the Cinque Terre towns have their own train station. Almost all the trains from La Spezia stop in Levanto. The train represents the best way to visit all the villages of the Cinque Terre. Until the end of the 19th Century these towns were completely isolated and reachable just on foot or by sea. In 1860 (works ended in 1874) the first tunnel of this track was built connecting Genoa with La Spezia and crossing almost entirely all this territory through tunnels (32 tunnels were built here!). This means of transportation gives you the possibility to visit the villages in a discreet and easy way and as the train emerges from another tunnel you are treated to another stunning view of one of the best secrets in Italy.

DONT LEAVE WITHOUT The Cinque Terre boasts some of the best coastline hiking trails in the world. The path from Riomaggiore to Manarola is called the Via Dell’Amore - or �Lovers Walk. The beautiful trail along the shore is very easy to hike.

Along the way, you’ll witness where lovers have written their names on the rocks and trees surrounding the walk. In the middle of Riomaggiore and Manarola you will come across ‘The Lover’s Lock’ which is a place to seal your eternal love. At this point there is a concrete throne in the shape of a male and female locked in a kiss, where many people duplicate this creating a lovely photographic opportunity.

The next hike from Manarola to Corniglia is also easy. However, there is an up hill hike and a large zigzag shaped staircase with 385 steps which can be quite a mission in the midday sun! The trail from Corniglia to Vernazza offers incredible views of shore and is only steep at certain places.

The trail from Vernazza to Monterosso is the steepest (you need a reasonably good level of fitness - there is over 250m of climbing over very uneven rocks, totalling approx. 750 ‘steps’ - not easy!), winding through olive orchards and vineyards and offering dramatic ocean views. The paths are narrow, with a very real danger of falling 12 to 15 feet if you lose your footing. If you attempt this hike, take some water, and be prepared to build up a sweat.

The walk between all the villages takes the better part of a day. For those that would rather not walk (or not walk the entire trail), a pedestrian ferry service runs seasonally to all five villages, plus Lerici. The price is reasonable, and gives a nice view of the villages from the water. The milk train that connect all the villages is also a quick way to hop among towns.

It is advised that you attempt the walk as early as possible to avoid the hottest part of the day during the summer period. Sneakers or suitable walking shoes are essential.Youmustpurchaseapass for thehike. It isalso possible to purchase a hiking and train pass in one if you wish to catch a train to the next town.

Hiking Times around the Cinque Terre:Monterosso - Vernazza: 90 minutes.Vernazza - Corniglia: 90 minutes.Corniglia - Manarola: 45 minutes.Manarola - Riomaggiore: 20 minutes.Manarola also has its own beautiful vineyard walk.

Language:Italian and although English is spoken widely, the locals always appreciate your small efforts to communicate in their language.Currency: Euro (EUR) Time zone: GMT + 2

T R AV E L

Monarola at Sunset

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With snow and ice affecting many parts of the country Road Safety GB North East has issued advice for safe Winter driving to ensure that you keep safe when driving this Winter.Follow these tips and safety advice in order to make your Winter driving incident free...

Avoiding a SkidSkidding on ice is the main concern for those driving in freezing conditions. Quite often drivers do not anticipate the impact that snow and ice can have on the handling to your vehicle.

The main tip is to keep your speed right - not too fast so that you risk losing control, but not so slow that you risk losing momentum when you need it – and brake, steer and accelerate as smoothly as possible.Always start gently from a stationary position and avoid high engine revs. If you get yourself into a skid the main thing to remember is to take your foot off the accelerator and steer, never use the brake as this may lock up your wheels resulting in total loss of control.

Protecting Your Car for the Winter• Engine/cooling system - Check antifreeze levels.

A 50/50 mix of antifreeze to water will protect the engine down to –34ºC.

• Handbrake - Check for damage to handbrake cable covering. Cables should be changed if water has penetrated.

• Washers and wipers - A 50/50 mix of additive to water is needed in very cold weather. Switch off wipers when parked in frost - doing so prevents damaging blades or overheating the wiper motor when the car is started.

• Locks - Oil door and boot locks and spray with water repellent to prevent freezing. Similarly for bonnet and fuel cap.


• Diesel - Can become waxy and unusable below –15ºC. Some additives can lower this temperature. If possible, garage your vehicle in extreme cold.

• General - Check oil level, battery, lights, and tyre tread and pressures

More advice for Winter driving• Double or even triple your normal stopping

distance from the vehicle in front.

• Plan your journey around busier roads as they are more likely to have been gritted.

• On motorways stay in the clearest lane where possible, away from slush and ice. Keep within the clear tyre tracks if you can.

• Stay in a higher gear for better control.

• As conditions improve make sure your foglights are only on if necessary – they can dazzle other drivers.

• In falling snow use dipped headlights to make yourself visible to others (especially pedestrians)

Preparation• Check the weather in advance – don’t ignore police

warnings about closed roads.

• Make sure you have an emergency kit so you are prepared in the event of a breakdown. This should include a torch, food for energy, water and a blanket. On longer journeys always let someone know you have set off and tell them your planned route.

• Ensure your mobile is charged up so you can make a call in an emergency – but don’t use it when driving!

• Do a proper Winter check of your vehicle, looking at washer fluid, de-icer/scraper and tyres.

Quick Check - Top 10 Winter Driving Tips1. Always carry a survival pack in the car, including

food, water and a blanket. This should include extra warm clothes.

2. Ensure your phone battery is fully charged and you have an in-car charger.

3. Put a shovel in your boot – in case you need to dig yourself out of trouble.

4. Consider fitting Winter tyres, but even if you don’t, have your summer tyres checked. Winter driving means that tyres should have no less than 3mm remaining tread.

5. Have your battery checked. Batteries have to work extra hard in the cold and are more likely to fail.

6. Make sure your windscreen washer fluid is topped up with the correct concentration of screenwash. Windscreens get particularly dirty in the Winter months and screenwash will help prevent the liquid from freezing.

7. Have your coolant checked – the antifreeze needs to protect your engine against the lowest of temperatures.

8. Have your air-con system serviced. It’s not just for summer – an effective air-con system will demist windscreens much more quickly, helping visibility.

9. Adjust your driving style to the conditions – be sensible in the rain, snow and ice.

10. Above all, in bad conditions consider whether your journey is really necessary.

For further information, advice and guidance on Winter driving and all other Road Safety related matters, please contact your Local Authority Road Safety section.

13www.retiredmagazines.co.uk

Lynda Bellingham was trying to sort out her home “after a hell of a week” rehearsing someone new on the latest tour of Calendar Girls and spending rare time in domestic bliss.“Because my life tends to be all over the place outside the home, I like relative order in it,” she explains in those immediately identifiable sexy tones that have ensured a fascinatingly varied career including a wealth of radio and TV voice-overs.

She is now 63, still glamorous but with the kind of accessible personality that makes women like her and men fancy her. The fact that she has spent the past two years taking her clothes off on stage – twice on Saturdays – has, surprisingly, endeared her to both.

“We’re not actually nude, of course,” she laughs, “but that’s how it looks. Calendar Girls is a marvellous play – Tim Firth (who wrote the film and the play) has done a fantastic job with it and wherever you go you can feel the audience’s sense of excitement and anticipation because of the ‘nude’ scenes.”

If you’ve been hiding in a cave in the Himalayas for the past couple of years you might not have heard ofthetruestoryoftheladiesofaYorkshireWomen’sInstitute who decided to raise money for charity after the husband of one of them died from leukaemia. Their idea of a nude calendar made them iconic figures worldwide, and spawned both a hit film and the highly successful play.

Chris Harper is the main driver of this campaign (mostly played on stage by Lynda although casts have varied) and the actress is still a great admirer of the original role model. “It took someone like her to make it happen, I think. Having met her several times, I can see why.”

So could Lynda herself have been that driving force in thesamesituation?“Yes,IthinkIcould,”shestates.“Ithink I’m a bit determined like that.”

A glance back at Lynda’s own life reveals the truth of that statement. She was born in Montreal, Canada, but adopted by an English couple at the age of four months and brought up in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire.

“I had a wonderful childhood, very happy,” she recalls. “I think my generation got used to accepting things – the Pill, sexual freedom among them – and that has stood us in good stead for today’s changing world.”

She got her big break as a nurse in ITV’s ‘70s afternoon soap opera General Hospital and appeared in films including Confessions of a Driving Instructor and Sweeney! During the ‘80s, though, she became famous as the head of the family in the Oxo TV adverts.

“Of course they wanted me to be warm and motherly, while what I really wanted as an actress was to be edgy and different!” she says with a husky laugh. “It was fine doing the adverts but it can be a double-edged sword - my profile among agents and casting directors for a long time was this type of person.”

This worked in her favour, though, when she played vet James Herriot’s wife (replacing Carol Drinkwater) in telly favourite All Creatures Great and Small, and her comic timing was also recognised in situation comedies Second Thoughts and its sequel Faith in the Future.

What you see is what you get withLYNDA BELLINGHAM

14

She starred in the 14-part Doctor Who serial The Trial of a Time Lord playing against type as the Inquisitor, reprising this character for an audio series.

And from 2000 for three years, she played compassionate accountant Pauline Farnell in the hit TV series At Home With The Braithwaites alongside Amanda Redman and Peter Davison.

For several months in 2004, however, she enjoyed a recurring role in The Bill as villainess Irene Radford, offering fans a chance to see a different side of Lynda’s acting skills. “I really loved doing that!” she exclaims.

“Unfortunately, there really aren’t that many good roles for women of a certain age, and there are quite a few of us after the few that there are.”

Lynda, has, however, had an interesting range of roles in the theatre, and has also raised her own profile on TV as a quick-witted regular on the award-winning Loose Women programme where she is just herself. In her private life, she has been married three times, her last – “and final” – marriage to Michael Pattemore (a Spanish-based mortgage broker known on Loose Women as “Mr Spain”) on her 60th birthday. She has two sons and a stepson, all in their 20s, two of whom live with the couple in London.

“Michael has always come touring with me, which is lovely because you can be away from home for a while,” she states.

Her autobiography Lost and Found proved a literary hit, and the paperback version was out in March. More appearances in Loose Women and more theatre performances are also on the cards for this year, although Lynda says that Calendar Girls will be “rested” after a three-year run and she’s fine with that.

She has also become an active campaigner and spokeswoman for the Alzheimer’s Research Trust and Age UK after both her adoptive mother and her birth mother suffered from this debilitating dementia.

“It’s funny because you can get quite nervous talking about yourself, as I’ve been doing promoting my book at literary festivals and the like,“ she says. “But I don’t find it difficult to talk about the charity and the importance of getting more people to understand about Alzheimer’s.”

As for having her own “role models”, Lynda reckons that she would really like to have the kind of serious roles that comedian and presenter Matthew Kelly has moved into latterly.

“Now get me some female Matthew Kelly-type roles and I’ll be happy”, she insists.

And that warm voice breaks into the kind of laughter that makes you realise that the likeable image you see is actually what you get with this talented actress whose career is set to continue delighting fans for a long time to come.

OF COURSE THEY WANTED ME TO BE WARM AND MOTHERLY, WHILE WHAT

I REALLY WANTED AS AN ACTRESS WAS TO BE EDGY AND DIFFERENT!

15

There you are, trying to enjoy life, but all you can think about is your urgent need to find a toilet.

Well, you’re not alone. In fact, 1 in 5 people over 40 have the same problem, it’s called an overactive bladder.

You too may simply have an overactive bladder. This isn’t a natural part of getting older, and help is at hand. Effective treatments that don’t involve surgery are available from your Doctor.

Simply call the Bladder and Bowel Foundation for free, confidential, professional advice. We can also send you our new booklet called “The Pathway to Success” which is full of useful information and helpful advice to help you overcome the problem.

To take back control of your life, call us now or visit our website.

0800 011 4696www.bladderandbowelfoundation.org

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tyne & wear issue 29

Documents

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