Tom Kerridge’s Full Time Meals Christmas

Karen Neville

Posted on

Buckinghamshire

Michelin-starred chef’s festive meal for the same price as the average school lunch in the UK

Michelin starred chef Tom Kerridge has created a festive Full Time Meals Christmas recipe for four with plenty of Boxing day leftovers for under £10.

Tom’s Turkey Meatloaf Tray Bake uses turkey mince, sausage meat and stuffing to create a tasty festive treat alongside roast potatoes, carrots, parsnips, sprouts and Savoy cabbage topped with a rich gravy and all for just £9.88.

Follow Tom’s step-by-step guide on how to create this dish on Full Time Meals.

Tom and The Food Foundation, supported by Bloomsbury Publishing, are highlighting the situation of more than 800,000 schoolchildren who slip through the eligibility net and go hungry at school. These children do not meet the Free School Meals criteria despite household income being so low they are classed as living in poverty.

He has produced the tasty meal for £2.47 – the average price of a hot meal.

He says: “No child should be hungry at school. I wanted to highlight this critical situation the best way I know how – with food, so I created a Full Time Christmas meal for the same price as an average school lunch in the UK. Christmas is a stark reminder to look after each other, and it shouldn’t be just over the festive period, it should be all the time.

“No child should be hungry at school”

“There are kids going to school with empty lunch boxes, hiding from the dining room because they are so embarrassed. It’s a national crisis and truly a heart-breaking one, that the Government can change. So, I am asking the Great British Public to write to your MP to ask for a change in policy, we need to make our voices heard, for our children, and make it clear that enough is enough.”

The Full Time Meals campaign supports FareShare, the UK’s largest charity fighting hunger and food waste. The average cost of a school meal is £2.47 – that’s less than the price of a high street coffee. Please help by making a donation – just £5 will cover the cost of two school meals. A donation of £12.34 could help buy a week’s worth of school meals for a hungry child.

To donate £5, simply text 5FULL to 70580. Texts will cost the donation amount plus one standard network message. To donate £12.34, or whatever you can afford, head over to fareshare.org.uk/fulltime

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter:

Help the Bucks Radio Toy Appeal

Round & About

Posted on

Buckinghamshire

With this festive period set to be challenging for many children, Heritage & Sons funeral homes, owned by C.P.J Field, the UK’s oldest funeral directors, are hosting collection points for the Bucks Radio Toy Appeal, helping give disadvantaged children a better Bucks Christmas.

You’re all encouraged to donate new toys, games and gifts for all ages, from babies to teenagers. These can be dropped off at a number of Heritage and Sons funeral homes across the region

You can find these at:

Wendover: 146 Aylesbury Road, Wendover, Bucks, HP22 6AP

Winslow: 63 High Street, Winslow, Bucks, MK18 3DG

Aylesbury Town Centre: Bakery House, 27-29 Buckingham Street, Aylesbury

Aylesbury Gatehouse: 167 Bicester Road, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP19 9BA

Buckingham: 1A Bristle Hill, Buckingham, Bucks, MK18 1EZ

Amersham: 33-35 Hill Avenue, Amersham, Bucks, HP6 5BX

Bletchley: The Willows Funeral Home, 1 Vicarage Road, Bletchley, Milton Keynes MK2 2EZ

Please don’t wrap the presents and drop the items off before Monday, 19th December

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter:

The Art of the Album Cover

Karen Neville

Posted on

Buckinghamshire

Henley-based art publisher Hypergallery welcomes browsers and buyers to an exhibition of signed, limited-edition prints by music’s most extraordinary visual artists

A collection of exquisite limited edition prints and affordable works by a collection of talented artists who have worked with some of the most iconic musicians from the 20th Century will be on display at Hypergallery in Henley from November 26th.

Celebrating the Golden Years of rock music through the album cover art that put a face on it, visitors can view pieces featuring David Bowie, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, King Crimson, T.Rex, Peter Gabriel, 10cc, Jimi Hendrix, The Who, The Beatles, Elton John, Genesis, Donovan, The Hollies, Cream, Pentangle.

The featured artists exhibiting include:

Vincent McEvoy was the art director of Polydor in the 1970s. As such, he had unique access to some of the biggest names in Rock, including The Who, Bob Marley and Eric Clapton. In recent years he has rekindled his passion for silkscreens, producing powerful pop-artworks based on some of the wonderful and iconic memorabilia that he accumulated throughout his career.

Karl Ferris is the man behind some of the most recognisable images of Jimi Hendrix. The originator of psychedelic and infrared photography worked closely with Hendrix on his image, styling and of course the photographs. With subjects including Cream, The Hollies, The Beatles and Donovan, Ferris was right at the epicentre of the psychedelic revolution.

Terry Pastor is a graphic artist who has worked for clients all across the world, creating iconic imagery with masterful flourishes of his airbrush. Pastor is best known for two images that jump-started the career of a young David Bowie, Hunky Dory and Ziggy Stardust. He has revisited and ‘remastered‘ his original source material in the creation of his stunningly sympathetic editions.

Barry Godber was a friend of King Crimson lyricist Peter Sinfield and a regular visitor to the group‘s rehearsal room in the basement of the Fulham Palace Road Cafe. Using watercolours, Godber gazed into a shaving mirror and constructed one of the most fearful self-portraits ever to grace a record sleeve.

Hipgnosis created some of the most innovative and surreal record cover art of the 1960s, 70s and 80s for the biggest bands and musicians of the era including Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and 10cc. For fifteen years Hipgnosis (Storm Thorgerson, Aubrey Powell and Peter Christopherson) thrived as one of the best known photo design companies and latterly movie makers, creating timeless rock iconography.

Alan Aldridge created imaginative designs and intoxicating colour-rich images that captured the dreams and hallucinations of a generation; in The Beatles Illustrated Lyrics, on album covers for The Who, Cream and Elton John, and on the notorious Chelsea Girls poster for Andy Warhol.

Richard Evans began his rock’n’roll career as a shoe designer in the early 70s, putting multi-coloured platforms under the feet of Elton John, Roxy Music and The Osmonds. It was at this time that he met Aubrey Powell and Storm Thorgerson and later worked at Hipgnosis with them as their graphic designer for several years. Eventually, he set up his own design studio, working with many big names in the music industry. Since 1976 he has worked closely with The Who, designing tour visuals, merchandise and, of course, album covers.

Sir Peter Blake was elected RA in 1981, awarded a CBE in 1983, and was knighted in 2002. His seminal art for Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is probably the world’s best-known album cover, but Peter’s connections with pop music led to many other ventures in album packaging, including The Who, Live Aid, Paul Weller, Oasis, Ian Dury, Eric Clapton and Brian Wilson.

Exhibition details:

Dates: 26th Nov 2022 – 23rd Dec 2022

Open: 11am-2pm by appointment

Location: Hypergallery, 47 Market Place, Henley-on-Thames, RG9 2AA

Admission: free

If you would like to visit, just drop Hypergallery a line at [email protected] or call on 01491 637021 to ensure someone will be at the gallery to welcome you.

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter:

Wildlife volunteers honoured at awards

Ellie Cox

Posted on

Buckinghamshire

Thirteen unpaid but dedicated workers have been recognised by Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) for decades of work they have put in at the charity’s nature reserves across the three counties

Previously BBOWT has presented one lifetime achievement award at its ceremony, but this year has chosen to award the title to six volunteers.

Richard and Julie Birch have been active and influential members of BBOWT’s Chilterns volunteer group for 20 years. Mr Birch used his marketing and business experience to grow the group while his wife took over management of the newsletter and moved it online. Richard said: “As active conservation work becomes less of a pleasure, there are so many other activities to keep one occupied, making a useful contribution and seeing one’s BBOWT friends – like organising events, meeting and greeting and doing publicity.”

Ched George has been a volunteer at BBOWT since 2014, when he helped the Trust to acquire its Yoesden Bank nature reserve, a 13-hectare site of precious chalk grassland in the Chiltern Hills. He took the role of volunteer warden and helped organise regular conservation work parties and ecological surveys.

Richard Herbert as been volunteering with BBOWT since 1984. For most of that time he has been a core member of the Sunday work party at Bowdown Woods reserve near Newbury, led guided walks around the site and given countless talks to local groups and societies.

David Litchfield has dedicated 15 years to volunteering at BBOWT’s Warburg Nature Reserve near Henley. As well as helping with practical conservation work such as scything and teaching other volunteers a host of skills including tool maintenance. Mr Litchfield has also run ecological surveys on the site and passed on his wealth of knowledge to others.

Outstanding Contribution (Individuals)

Gustav Clark has been an enthusiastic and hard-working volunteer with the West Berkshire Living Landscape team. He has also championed the new online Volunteer Hub where BBOWT and volunteers share news, photos and campaigns.

John Lerpiniere is awarded for his exceptional long-term commitment and contribution to the Trust’s conservation work in Berkshire. He works for the Reserves and Ecology teams, and participates in external volunteer groups on several receivers and is also a volunteer stock watcher.

John Parker has volunteered at Greenham and Crookham commons since 2000. He also volunteers with several other BBOWT groups, occasionally up to five days a week, offering his practical conservation skills as well as his organisational acumen and extra help planning tasks.

David Richardson has been a member of Finemere Wood volunteer work party since 2016. He has taught many volunteers how to scythe and has raised funds to buy more scythes by using his skills as a wood turner to turn felled trees from the reserve into bowls and chopping boards for sale.

Dave Stevens welcomes and engages visitors to College Lake with a ready smile. Dave has also been integral in welcoming new volunteers and will often take them for a tour of the site and stay with them until they feel comfortable.

Phil Townsend has been volunteering for the Trust since 2005 and has been involved with the Reserves Surveying Programme since 2007. During this time, he has helped with butterfly transects, bird surveys, and the dragonfly count at College Lake.

Roger Walton helps provide a rewarding experience for visitors to College Lake through the seasons and helps to make resources for visitor trails.

Outstanding Contribution (Groups)

College Lake Wildlife Garden Group have been going for 30 years. The group is self-led with minimal staff input and come up with ideas and plans to ensure the garden is an inspiration to visitors, demonstrating that anyone can create more nature everywhere, from a few pots in the garden is an inspiration to visitors, demonstrating that anyone can create more nature everywhere, from a few pots in the garden to beautiful nectar-rich borders and bug hotels.

The Greenham and Crookham Common Volunteers (GCCV) were recognised for 25 years of conservation and maintenance work. Working closely with staff, the group is reliable, autonomous and very knowledge about the reserve, its history and ways to assist in its management.

The Oxfordshire Field Team is made up of six volunteers, all retired, racking up 83 years of volunteering for BBOWT between them. The group go out twice a week in all weathers and help with all kinds of tasks to look after BBOWT reveres and the animals that graze them.

Warburg Nature Reserve Volunteer Team includes stockwatchers who help look after livestock that graze the reserve, two work parties which carry out practical habitat management and infrastructure maintenance, and volunteers who make charcoal from by-products of coppicing. The team also volunteer at Hartslock and Cholsey Marsh reserves when needed.

The West Berks Badger bTB Vaccination Team was established in 2021 when they responded to a plea for help with baiting badger traps as part of BBOWT’s successful badger vaccination programme. This involves unsociable hours, long commutes, and assisting with vaccinations at sunrise. Their work has been essential in carrying out this year’s vaccinations.

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter:

Let us handle your care

Round & About

Posted on

Buckinghamshire

CareHandle is an exciting new service supporting those exploring Care Homes for the first time

If you are over the threshold and paying privately you often explore care options alone which can be daunting and frustrating, especially when you need to focus on you or your loved one’s well-being.

Looking for care can be confusing, stressful and time-consuming, the team at Carehandle are on a mission to change this by offering advice, support and insight in a personal way.

We take care seekers through a 3-step process first to listen, understand and work through possible options. Next, we help Handle the search, find options and provide a free shortlist, we check availability, costs and quality. We are with you every step of the way to support better outcomes, we can book appointments and work with the provider for the best outcomes, a large number of those in care regret the initial decision so we can help to support and get it right first time.

Don’t handle it alone contact Carehandle.

E-mail: [email protected]

Call: 01242 384938

Visit: https://carehandle.co.uk/

Our mission also supports charities and by using our services we can help make a difference in local communities.

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter:

Keep burglars in the dark

Karen Neville

Posted on

Buckinghamshire

Thames Valley Police has some invaluable advice as the winter nights close in

Take steps to help avoid becoming a victim of burglary this winter with these tips from Thames Valley Police.

Make your home look occupied by using timer switches on lights and radios, which can also help conserve energy and save money.

Illuminate your front door with energy saving dusk to dawn lightbulbs that come on automatically.

Consider installing a video doorbell, house alarm or CCTV system.

Close and double lock all doors and windows when going out.

Always double lock doors and windows at night and when you go to bed.

Keep valuables and keys out of sight and away from doors, windows and letterboxes.

When not in use, store electronic car key fobs in a signal blocking pouch to help prevent them being scanned by thieves to open and steal your car.

If you have a key safe, ensure it’s not visible to people passing by, but anyone tampering with it can be seen.

Ensure laptops and electronic equipment are not on view.

Ensure your sheds and garages are locked and secure.

We wish you a healthy and happy holiday season, but please:

Don’t leave any presents on view or advertise them on social media.

Don’t leave packaging next to your bin.

Don’t advertise you’re away from home on social media. Ask a trusted friend or neighbour to keep an eye on your property.

Ensure you security mark and register your new presents and gifts online at www.immobilise.com

You can find further crime prevention advice at www.thamesvalley.police.uk

Please contact us if you have information relating to burglary in your neighbourhood. Report online, call us on 101 and always dial 999 in an emergency.

Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on free phone 0800 555 111.

Register for Thames Valley Alert at: www.thamesvalleyalert.co.uk to receive free crime updates and information from Thames Valley Police.

Consider joining a local Neighbourhood Watch Scheme, visit www.ourwatch.org.uk

Follow us on social media for regular crime updates and find out what your local policing teams are up to: Facebook: TVP Bracknell & Wokingham and Twitter: @TVP_Wokingham

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter:

Thanksgiving special at STK Steakhouse

Ellie Cox

Posted on

Buckinghamshire

STK Steakhouse, known for its vibe dining experience and premium reimagined classic American cuisine, is offering a special Thanksgiving menu, available from Thursday 24th to Sunday 27th November.

Thanksgiving is a special time of year, when friends and family come together and give thanks for everything they’re grateful for. This year give thanks at STK Steakhouse, who is offering an incredible Thanksgiving menu available at both its Strand and Westminster restaurants.

Guests can tuck into STK’s signature turkey with all the trimmings (also available for takeaway & catering) and seasonal cocktails while spending the special holiday with loved ones at the iconic American restaurant. Known for its dynamic, fine dining experience.

On the menu will be a succulent roasted free range turkey served with light and fluffy cornbread, sage stuffing, sautéed green beans with crispy shallots, maple baked sweet potato, Yukon gold mashed potatoes with parmesan crust, classic gravy and cranberry orange chutney (£54 per person). Those with a sweet tooth (and extra space) will be able to order the classic Thanksgiving dessert. Spiced Pumpkin Pie served with candied ginger cream & crunchy caramel honeycomb (£11 per slice).

STK’s Thanksgiving dinner is best enjoyed with a drink in hand and STK has it all. Choose from the comprehensive drinks menu which combines expertly mixed cocktails, a selection of fine wines and both draught & bottled beers.

Book in to STK Steakhouse to catch up with friends and family, give thanks and celebrate Thanksgiving over delicious food & drinks.

Visit https://stksteakhouse.com

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter:

What is solution-focused hypnotherapy

Ellie Cox

Posted on

Buckinghamshire

Woodley-based hypnotherapist Sophie Price explains how this approach can help a frazzled mind

Solution Focused Hypnotherapy is a relatively modern approach, combining various forms of talking and brief therapies. With similarities to cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), solution focused brief therapy (SFBT) and other humanistic approaches, solution focused hypnotherapy combines the very best practice of other talking therapies with the added benefit of hypnosis.

The primary focus of this style of therapy is the importance of staying in the present. When we go over our problems in our mind, we’re reliving them and, because our brain can’t tell the difference between imagination and reality, we find ourselves right back there – in the problem. When we allow ourselves to focus on how we want things to be, instead of how we don’t want them to be, we’re giving our brain positive images which allows it to believe that we can achieve those things.

When we suffer with anxiety, depression, OCD, and other related issues, were spending too much time in the fight/flight part of our brain. This part of our brain is there for our survival and, while we absolutely need to have access to this mind, we don’t need to use it every day. When we just want to get to work without feeling angry in a traffic jam; or we just want to get a good night’s sleep without worrying about tomorrow’s meeting/appointment; or we just want to enjoy time with our children without feeling worried about the finances, we can sometimes find ourselves thinking of all the worst-case scenarios and therefore missing out on the present. The more anxious we are, the more we are encouraged to be anxious.

“The more anxious we are, the more we are encouraged to be anxious”

This is how hypnotherapy can help. It helps to create new neuropathways in the mind which can break old habits and help us to move forward with a new, positive attitude towards life.

The Importance of Sleep

One of the first things people recognise when they seek my help is that their sleep is affected by the issue they’re suffering with. Sleep deprivation will increase our anxiety and stress levels. It has been said that just a few minor reductions in your sleep pattern for just a week, can disrupt your blood sugar levels enough to classify you as a pre-diabetic. There are many, many health complications which can be brought on or worsened by a lack of sleep and we often find that when our mental health is suffering, we can’t get enough sleep.

The recommended 7-9 hours per night is something that we should all strive for – for the sake of our physical and mental health.

Hypnotherapy helps to regulate sleep and once your stress levels come down, your sleep will improve.

Please do get in touch to find out more about how hypnotherapy can help you.

www.sophiepricehypnotherapy.co.uk

[email protected]

07835 302 794

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter:

Celebrate kindness with QueenMee

Ellie Cox

Posted on

Buckinghamshire

Give back as you gift at Christmas and through to Easter next year with Bourne-End accessories business

QueenMee Accessories, the boutique hair accessories and brooch company, is partnering with Oxford Health Charity to give a wellbeing boost to nurses and care workers.

For the whole of December and through to Easter 2023, for every £100 spent on QueenMee.com a hair clip or headband from QueenMee’s collection will be donated to a nurse or care worker at Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust.

Julie Pink, Head of Charity and Involvement at the Trust says the team that have received QueenMee Accessories in the past ‘loved the sparkle, especially when things felt so dark at times.’

QueenMee founder, Amanda Waterstone Carthy says: “QueenMee is about celebrating kindness – being kind to yourself, celebrating your own personal style, and giving back as you shop for yourself or others.

“We know that hospitals will be under huge pressure this winter, and that nurses and care workers will be under personal strain themselves. I’m very grateful for the kindness NHS nurses have shown me in the past, as I know so many of us are.

“I’m so pleased to be able to give back to nurses and care workers, through partnering with Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, and to offer our customers a way to ‘give back as they gift’ too.

“I hope the colour and sparkle of the donated hair accessories will be uplifting for the nurses and their patients at this difficult time.”

QueenMee Accessories’ collection includes brooches, hair clips, headband, silk scrunchies, and earrings, all of which make gorgeous gifts – with the bonus of giving back as you shop.

Beautiful, eco-friendly gift wrap is free of charge with every order.

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter:

Put some welly into Christmas

Ellie Cox

Posted on

Buckinghamshire

Tom Kerridge launches his Beef Wellington Box

Michelin-starred chef Tom Kerridge, is launching a luxury Beef Wellington box this Christmas, so why not treat yourself to something special?

The Tom Kerridge Beef Wellington Box is available to pre-order now at www.fromtomkerridge.com for £195 and will be delivered nationwide on December 23rd.

The Beef Wellington Box generously serves four and includes a luxury 1.2kg, 30-day aged fillet of organic British beef, from family-owned Stokes Marsh Farm. With black truffle Duxelle and herb crepe, wrapped in an all-butter puff pastry, alongside a rich red wine sauce and Cumberland pigs in blankets. All you need to do is add your own vegetables. For dessert, enjoy a traditional sticky toffee pudding with toffee sauce and Christmas spiced brandy butter alongside cubes of salted caramel fudge for the perfect sweet finish.

Delivery is included and there are even a couple of recipes for suggested veggie side dishes. For those who are super organised, early bird orders will receive a free foodie gift from Marks & Spencer with any orders placed before November 18th.

A limited number of Tom Kerridge’s Beef Wellingtons will be available to collect from The Butcher’s Tap and Grill in Marlow, pop in to complete a pre-order form. Prices for Beef Wellington collection at The Butcher’s Tap and Grill are £95 (1.2kg beef Wellington and red wine sauce). Beef Wellington orders at The Butcher’s Tap and Grill must be taken before December 18th and the last collection date is December 24th.

Tom says: “Christmas is a time for coming together and sharing food. There is no better luxury dish than a beautifully cooked beef Wellington to celebrate the festive period. Perfect for Christmas Eve or as an alternative to turkey on Christmas Day. Our beef wellington box is designed to take the stress out of Christmas.”

For more details and to pre-order visit https://www.fromtomkerridge.com

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter: