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www.facebook.co.uk/valefamilies 

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2 V ale Family Magazine 2017

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for past issues or 

more info about us! 

www.valefamilymagazine.co.uk 

Contributors 

All Rounder Katie Gilbert 

Sub Editor Kim Edmed 

Karen Meadows 

Diane Bennett 

Lindsay Roach 

Bernadette Cuddy 

Stuart Carter 

Steve Knight 

Vale Family Magazine Established 2015 

Magazine Designed & Published by Bright Ideas 

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"Thank you to all our 

readers, advertisers 

and contributors 

for 2017 and beyond" 

It really is an honour to meet so many great 

members of our community, business owners 

and local charity workers this year, without 

whom this magazine would not be possible. 

"Best wishes 

to you all for 

2018 From 

My Vale Family" 

Editor & Creator 

Katie Gilbert 

Editors 

picks... 

Pg2 - Xjump discount code 

Pg4 - Evesham's Year 

Pg6 - Family Health / Health Hub 

FREE Membership 

Pg7 - Reader offers KIDS EAT FREE 

Pg8 - Tesco Winners 

Pg9 - Freedom Cafe 

Pg11 - Feature the Teacher 

Pg14 - Colouring in competition 

Pg16- Dementia Friends 

Pg17 - Caring Hands News 

Pg20 - Life Coaching 

Pg21- Life as a carer 

Pg22- Christmas Tree Collection 

Pg23 - Left overs recipe 

Pg24 - Money off MOT voucher 

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V ale Family Magazine 2017 3

Evesham's 2017 

transformation! 

2017 in Evesham has been an exciting year, 

and the Town Council has been at the core 

of much of these exciting and positive 

developments. 

One of the key priorities of the Town Plan 

was to see a transformation of the market 

place into a leisure destination. In the 

past 12 months this transformation has 

occurred with the market place becoming 

a thriving social space. At the start of the 

year, there were 4 vacant units. 12 months 

on, only one is vacant (and that is due to 

be opened as a coffee shop) which is a 

fantastic vote of confidence in the town. 

Credit must go to all those who take the 

plunge and set up business in any town, 

both new and existing. 

Complementing 

this is the town’s 

new Market 

run by LSD 

Promotions. 

The Council 

took a 

considerable 

risk to purchase 

new market 

gazebos and equipment to attract a new 

operator and keep the market open. So 

far, it appears to be paying off and it is 

definitely true that the appearance of the 

market has improved dramatically. It does 

rely on your support so please make sure 

you use your market and your town centre. 

As always, Evesham is a hub of events and 

activities especially in the summer. The 

Council supports many of these events 

financially; as it sees the benefit they bring 

to the town both culturally and in terms 

of attracting visitors. Not wanting to miss 

out was the Almonry which this year 

celebrated its 60th birthday with a series 

of events and exhibitions. 

This tourist information and heritage 

centre is entirely funded by the Town 

Council and is a rich source of information 

about the town and the surrounding area. 

Staff there have been working hard on 

plans to restore the building and enhance 

the presentation of the collection. We 

hope that this will progress greatly in 2018. 

As we head into 2018, Evesham has much 

to look forward too and the Town Council 

hopes to continue its important role in the 

town, supporting events, pushing forward 

with the Town Plan and playing a positive 

role in the town. 

For more information and contact for 

Evesham Town Council please visit their 

website www.eveshamtowncouncil.gov.uk 

We wish all of Evesham a 

Happy Christmas and a 

great 2018. 

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Taking antibiotics 

when you don’t 

need them puts 

you and your 

family at risk 

Antibiotics are essential to treat serious 

bacterial infections, such as meningitis, 

pneumonia and sepsis, but they are 

frequently being used to treat illnesses, 

such as coughs, earache and sore throats 

that can get better by themselves. Taking 

antibiotics encourages harmful bacteria 

that live inside you to become resistant. 

That means that antibiotics may not work 

when you really need them. 

It is estimated that at least 5,000 deaths 

are caused every year in England because 

antibiotics no longer work for some 

infections and this figure is set to rise 

with experts predicting that in just over 

30 years antibiotic resistance will kill 

more people than cancer and diabetes 

combined 

The ‘Keep Antibiotics Working’ campaign 

urges people to always trust their doctor, 

nurse or pharmacist’s advice as to when 

they need antibiotics and if they are 

prescribed, take antibiotics as directed 

and never save them for later use or share 

them with others. 

The campaign also provides effective 

self-care advice to help individuals and 

their families feel better if they are not 

prescribed antibiotics. 

For further information on 

antibiotic resistance visit NHS 

Antibiotics 

www.nhs.uk/conditions/ 


Pershore's Year full of 

Fun Festivals and events 

2017 has been another hugely successful 

year for Pershore’s events, providing great 

entertainment and enjoyment to residents 

and visitors alike. 

The main event season kicked off with 

Pershore Carnival and although it may 

have rained cats and dogs, it didn’t stop 

the people of Pershore turning out in their 

thousands - the procession was by far the 

liveliest and probably the biggest Pershore 

has seen for some years. 

There is something beautiful about walking 

from venue to venue during Pershore 

Midsummer Brass taking in the gorgeous 

flower arrangements which line Broad Street 

and the High Street, as 12 hours of music 

across 4 venues provided a fantastic choice 

to brass lovers. 

One of the town’s greatest assets, the River 

Avon, was fittingly celebrated with another 

popular River Fest, showing off Pershore’s 

pride of its wonderful riverside location. 

38 jazz sessions wowed visitors to Pershore 

Jazz Festival, capturing an international 

audience in the process. 

It has now developed a reputation of offering 

all genres of jazz. 

The month long Plum Festival attracted 

it’s biggest ever crowd, with an estimated 

30,000 people descending to the town on 

August Bank Holiday Monday to join in with 

the famous fruit celebrations. 

Looking ahead to 2018, Pershore will adopt 

the old adage of “if it’s not broke, don’t 

fix it”, meaning you can expect much of 

the same but with all events striving to get 

bigger and better for your enjoyment. It’s 

also a special year for Pershore Carnival 

which will be celebrating its 50th anniversary! 

Alongside the beautiful treasures of the 

Abbey, Tiddesley Wood, the Wetlands and 

the River Avon, there truly is something for 

everyone no matter what time of 

year you visit. 


Charlotte follows in 

the family footsteps 

Worcestershire family podiatrists 

team The Foot Care Group are very 

proud to announce the arrival of 

the newest Podiatrist to the team, 

Charlotte Andrew, who passed 

with a First Class Honours Degree 

in Podiatry at The University of 

Northampton. 

Charlotte joins her parents, Karen 

and Barry Andrew, really keeping 

The Foot Care Group a family run 

business. Employing another highly 

qualified podiatrist means the 

clinics can offer more appointments 

in Evesham, Redditch or Droitwich 

and from January 2018 Pershore. 

They can also offer home visits for 

those that need treatment and care 

in the comfort of their own home. 

Charlotte also brings with her the 

latest treatments in foot care, 

from non surgical cosmetic nail 

reconstruction, treating very dry 

painful skin to offering verccua 

treatments for the whole family. 

Karen Andrews BSc (Hons) in 

Podiatry said “We are very proud to 

welcome our daughter into 

this profession and believe that this 

will strengthen The Foot 

Care Group’s commitment to 

providing excellent care for all of 

our patients. Charlotte has already 

impressed our customers with her 

warm customer service and foot 

care skills whilst working in our 

clinics and in the patient’s homes” 

Visit The Foot Care Clinics website 

for more information : www. 

thefootcaregroup.co.uk 

Photo: Barry Andrew, Charlotte 

Andrew and Karen Andrew 

Tesco news and 

Christmas winners! 

"Merry Christmas 

and a Happy New 

Year from all of us at 

Tesco Evesham" 

I have had a wonderful time 

helping out at different 

Christmas charity events 

this year, including our own 

Christmas Afternoon Tea party 

for some of the elderly and 

vulnerable members of the 

community. Santa would have 

loved it but sadly he was just too 

busy to attend. 

This month we bid farewell to 

our Charity Partnership with 

The British Heart Foundation 

and Diabetes UK. For the past 

three years we have had the 

great pleasure supporting and 

fundraising on their behalf. As 

a company we have raised over 

£23million and counting. 

Our new charity partnership 

will be announced in the New 

Year. Thank you for making 

our Food Collection a massive 

success again during the month 

of December and all year 

round. Unfortunately many 

people within our community, 

from all walks of life and social 

background, rely on charitable 

food donations. 

Your donations go to a local 

food bank called ‘Caring Hands 

in the Vale’ who not only supply 

food parcels for those in need 

but cook hot food, Mondays 

and Wednesdays, for those who 

wish to attend. Contact Diane 

Bennett, organiser, via e-mail: 

info@chands.org.uk for more 

information. 

Lindsay Roach - evesham@ 

communityattesco.co.uk 

TESCO VOUCHER 

WINNERS 

Thank you for all the entries 

in the Vale Family Magazine 

Autumn issue reader 

Tesco competition. 

Congratulations to the 

following who win a 

TESCO voucher of £15 each. 

Sarah Hodges Evesham 

Carly Jackson Fladbury 

Claire Gordon Harvington 


Freedom has 

been set up 

on donations 

from local 

businesses and 

kind hearted people. We started as a disco , 

then fundraised to buy a bus. We managed to 

raise £10000 in 5 months to purchase one. So 

my next aim was to fundraise for a day centre 

so within a few weeks a kindhearted dad gave 

a donation of £10000. So that was it we got 

other donations then and set about creating 

Freedom day centre which opened its doors 

July 10th. 

Freedom comprises three main services. The 

first is freedom daycentre which is designed 

for people with 

learning disabilities 

and other special 

needs. It runs 

Monday to Friday 

and aims to 

provide a safe 

and welcoming 

environment 

where people can 

learn and develop 

new skills, build 

friendships, gain confidence and partake in a 

wide range of activities. Some of the activities 

we provide include gardening at Badsey 

first school and village church, woodwork, 

Freedom to success 

art and design, computer skills, Sports on a 

Wednesday, day trips, cooking and preparing 

meals for the customers in our own “Cafe 

Freedom”, as well as educational studies like 

maths and English courses. On Fridays we 

host a dancing and exercise group open to 

the public called “Happy Feet” which begins 

with light stretches and repetitive movements 

to loosen everyone up, then we play games 

and have a dance. You can also win prizes by 

dancing. lunch is included in the price which is 

£5. 

The next big part of freedom is “Cafe 

Freedom” which is a community cafe that 

serves great food at a very affordable price. It 

is open 9-4 Monday to Friday and has a great 

rage of special offers Monday to Thursday. It 

is child friendly and there are lots of toys for 

your little ones to play with. We can also offer 

vegetarian and vegan options in our menu. This 

has proved to be a valuable part of Freedom 

and bringing the elderly and less able together 

for a day of chat and company. 

The third service that freedom has to offer is 

the “Freedom Disco”. It is the only disco in 

the area designed for people with learning 

difficulties. It is held every Tuesday from 

6.30pm-8.30pm and is £2 entry on the door. 

We provide a mini bus service for those who 

don’t have transport at no extra charge. We 

have also been working with Worcestershire 

Disability 

Sports/FA 

and Pershore 

town to 

create the 

“Pershore 

town 

freedom Utd” learning disability football 

team. Football practise is lead by FA trainers 

experienced in working with people with 

learning disabilities, they provide a person 

centred and ability specific experience. It is 

held on a Sunday and costs £2 to take part. 

If you are interested in any of our services 

then contact Tracey Hemming. 

M: 07970 306037 T: 01386 830200 

E: info@freedomdaycentre.co.uk/ 


Give your child the courage to 

be themselves at Stagecoach 

Performing Arts in Evesham 

Every child needs the chance to explore 

their potential and have an outlet for their 

creativity. None of us knows what the future 

holds, which is why it is so important for our 

children to be prepared for the world with 

resilience and confidence. 

News from Stagecoach Evesham: 

Principal : Charmaine Brumby aged 34. Born 

and bred in Evesham!! Worked for Stagecoach 

Evesham for 11 years as the Drama teacher 

and took over as principal In September 2017. 

Trained as a Secondary School Drama Teacher 

and worked in a Secondary School in Solihull 

for 8 years. 

We are moving venue in January to the De 

Montfort School where they have fantastic 

performing arts facilities. 

Next year is the 30th Anniversary for 

Stagecoach (not Evesham, Stagecoach as a 

franchise network) there will be lots of fun 

events to celebrate. The main event will be 

a 'record breaking attempt'. Stagecoach 

want to break the world record for most 

performances, performed on the same day 

at the same time. This will be happening 

nationally and internationally and Stagecoach 

Evesham will be partnering up with 

Stagecoach Redditch to perform at The Palace 

Theatre in Redditch. The performance will 

be Beauty and the Beast Jr. We are all very 

excited about it. 

Our classes run on a Saturday morning: 

Early Stages (4-6year olds) 9.15am - 10.45am 

Main Stages (6 - 18 year olds) 10am - 1pm 

Next term - Jan 6th - March 24th 2018 

Classes at The De Montfort School, 

Four Pools Road, Evesham. 

We offer a two week trial which is £25 for 

Early Stages and £50 Main Stages and gives 

the children the opportunity to try the classes 

before they commit to the whole term. 

We are running a workshop on Weds 20th 

Dec 2017 called The Magic of Musicals which 

is open to non-stagecoach students. It will be 

a fun filled day of dance, drama and singing. It 

costs £30 (£20 siblings) and runs from 9.30am 

- 5.30pm with a performance for family and 

friends at 5.30pm - 6pm. 

Places are limited so booking essential 

this can be done on our webpage www. 

stagecoach.co.uk/evesham or 

call 01386 896 105 or email 

evesham@stagecoach.co.uk. 

Click here 

to choose 

your image 

Stagecoach Evesham 

The Magic of Musicals 

PUT ON A SHOW 

Make friends and build confidence 

at our theatre workshops 

Wednesday 20th December 2017 

Age: 6 - 18 year olds 

Time: 9.30am - 5.30pm 

Performance: 5.30pm - 6pm 

Cost: £30 (£20 for siblings) 

Venue: 

stagecoach.co.uk/ 

evesham 

HOLIDAY 

WORKSHOP 

The De Montfort School, Four Pools 

Lane, Evesham, WR11 1DQ 

01386 896 105 

Stagecoach Performing Arts Schools are operated under franchise and are independently owned by their Principals. 

Stagecoach is a registered trademark of Stagecoach Theatre Arts Ltd. 


Feature the 

Teacher 

Mrs Nadia Underwood 

Class Teacher & Head of 

Learning 

Elmley Castle CofE 

First School 

Thank you Mrs Underwood from 

The Vale Family Magazine team. 

Would you like your teacher 

here? Please email: editor@ 


What is the best thing about your 

job? Being part of the ‘Elmley School' 

family. Every day I get to work with 

great staff, parents and above all 

fantastic children! 

If you had super powers for one day... 

what would your super power be and 

do...? I’d teleport. There are so many 

places in the world I'd like to visit 

with my family.. Imagine being able 

to travel in an instant- breakfast in 

the vibrant Far East, seafood lunch in 

the Caribbean and supper watching 

the Northern lights! 

If you stuck on a desert island what 

3 things would you take with you? 

Music to dance to, photograph of my 

family and a Bible. 

Name one of each...Favourite book... 

song.... film? 

Book: The Stick Man by Julia 

Donaldson 

Song: Rule The World by Take That 

Film: Love Actually 

What was your favourite subject at 

school? 

RE-learning about different cultures 

and traditions. 

What did you have for dinner last 

night? Chilli con carne 

What makes you smile? My children's 

giggles! 

What did you want to be when you 

grew up? Always knew I wanted to 

be a teacher. 

Most memorable day of your life? The 

day I became a mummy. 

Who is your hero & why? My Nanna 

is my hero. She loved everyone 

completely and showed love to 

anyone and everyone. 

Being bullied? 

Free* and confidential advice, information 

and support on any aspect of bullying 

via our helpline. 

0808 800 2222 

Through life’s ups and downs, 

we’re with you, all the way 

www.bullying.co.uk 

© Family Lives | Reg company number: 3817762 | Reg charity number: 1077722 | Reg’d in England and Wales. 

CAN Mezzanine, 49-51 East Road, London N1 6AH * From landlines and most mobile networks. 


A dog 

is for 

life, not 

just for 

Christmas… 

As our thoughts turn to Christmas 

and what the perfect presents 

would be for friends and family, the 

team at Dogs Trust Evesham are 

hoping a puppy isn’t on anyone’s 

Christmas gift list… 

Around 60 dogs will be spending the 

festive period at the Wickhamfordbased 

centre but with puppies 

readily available at the click of a 

button, and many dogs bought 

as presents being discarded even 

before the decorations are taken 

down, the team are encouraging 

people to adopt not shop this 

Christmas and consider rehoming a 

rescue dog. 

If you can offer a dog a 

home, please call Dogs Trust 

Evesham, on 0300 303 0292 

or visit 

www.dogstrust.org.uk 

Stay safe 

for Santa 

Christmas and the festive season is 

full of hazards (80,000 injuries every 

year) but don’t fall fowl (turkey joke) 

by following my tips to safety. 

Don’t attach decorations to lights 

(they burn easily). 

Don’t overload sockets. 

Keep candles away from children or 

pets and snuff them out if leaving or 

going to bed. 

Keep Christmas cards and decorations 

away from open fires (use a fire guard 

if you have young children). 

Use a ladder not a chair to put up 

decorations. 

Open presents with round ended 

scissors not a kitchen knife. 

Ensure the over 65’s or anyone with a 

pre-existing condition e.g. diabetes or 

asthma has a flu jab to protect them. 

Stock up on medication (and check it’s 

in date) for when the surgery is shut. 

And take preventative medication 

for asthma as triggers include: cold 

weather, scented candles, stress, 

perfume and smoke. 

Don’t get food poisoning by ensuring 

raw meat is kept wrapped and at 

the bottom of the fridge and anyone 

doing any food prep washes and 

dries their hands thoroughly. In fact, 

EVERYONE should wash their hands 

if you have any sort of buffet or help 

yourself meal. 

Kitchen hazards to avoid include; 

burns caused by spilt hot fat or 

roasted chestnuts or cuts caused by 

preparing vegetables or cutting meat. 

Ensure food is cooked properly by 

using a temperature probe or cutting 

it open to check there is no pink 

(chicken, turkey, duck) and that the 

inside is steaming. 

If defrosting food before cooking, 

make sure it is defrosted all the way 

through before it goes in the oven. 

Try not to overstock your fridge, and 

alter the temperature dial (I do) to 

ensure everything stays cold. 

Freeze left overs quickly or use them 

within 2 days. 

Have a Happy and Safe 

Christmas wherever you are 

spending it! 

Karen Meadows 

Safety In Action 

www. 

safetyinaction. 

co.uk 

Expert family legal advice in Evesham 

We understand the issues that may 

arise when your relationship is in 

diffi culty and how this can affect 

you and your family. 

We can help you with all aspects 

of divorce and separation 

• Financial aspects of a relationship breakdown 

• Cohabitation issues 

• Pre and Post Nuptial agreements 

and wealth protection 

• Children disputes 

• Civil partnership 

• Domestic abuse issues 

• Mediation 

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We are recognised in the Legal 

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are delighted that we are now 

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Contact me, Brenda Spain, 

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or email me at 

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Local to Evesham, Brenda is an expert family 

lawyer and mediator with over 25 years’ 

experience dealing with all aspects of family law. 


NEW YEAR’S DAY 

FAMILY FUN DAY 

AT CHELTENHAM RACECOURSE 

MONDAY 1st JANUARY 

UNDER 18’S GO FREE 

FREE CHILDREN’S 

ENTERTAINMENT 

Paddington TM will be making personal 

appearances at Cheltenham Racecourse 

at intervals throughout the day 

© P&Co. Ltd./SC 2017 

26988 Cheltenham NYD Paddington Vales Family Magazine 180x135.indd 1 29/11/2017 13:00 

Get our 40,000 readers attention... 

Advertise in our next issue. 

advertising@valefamilymagazine.co.uk 


Colouring in 

Competition 

FOR ALL AGES! TO ENTER: Complete and drop into Strawberry Couch in Evesham or 

take a photo and email with the details below to editor@valefamilymagazine.co.uk 

Name:__________________________________________ Age:___________________ 

Email address:____________________________ Telephone:_____________________ 

By Florence 

and 

Belle 

Local Artist Nikki Moulton 

Available for personalised commissions 



How can 

you make a 

difference? 

It is estimated that nearly 9,000 people 

are living with dementia in Worcestershire 

and as this number is predicted to rise it 

is important that we take action now to 

support anyone living with dementia to 

live well in their community. 

Dementia Friendly Communities focus 

on improving inclusion and quality of life 

for people with dementia in a number of 

ways. One of these ways is through the 

Evesham Dementia Action Alliance 

Dementia Friendly Communities recognition 

process, which encourages communities 

to sign up and work towards becoming 

dementia-friendly. 

Membership of the Evesham Dementia 

Action Alliance (EDAA) is completely free. All 

we ask is that members take steps to better 

support anyone living with dementia who 

use their services. Members include local 

businesses (Wychavon Leisure), community 

groups (Evesham & District Older People’s 

Forum), schools (Pebworth First and 

Blackminster Middle Schools Federation), 

libraries and shopping outlets (Tesco, with its 

relaxed lane). 

Anyone can help! 

Dementia Friends is a social action 

movement that aims to give people an 

understanding of dementia and the small 

things we can all do that could make a 

difference to people living with dementia in 

our community. 

Be a Friend 

A Dementia Friend is someone who has 

attended an information session and has 

committed to an action that will make the 

lives of people living with dementia a little 

better. These sessions are run by volunteer 

Dementia Friends Champions and last around 

one hour. 

Evesham Library has offered to 

host some information sessions; 

Session 1 – 16th March 12.30 -13.30. 

Session 2 –14th June 10.30 – 11.30 

Session 3 - 28th August 17.30 – 18.30 

To book on any of these sessions visit 

www.dementiafriends.org.uk/websession 

Jodie Ford-Coles from Evesham Library said 

‘Evesham Library is in a central part of 

town and is a hub of information for the 

community. Worcestershire Libraries hold 

many publications to help people living with 

dementia and their friends and families, 

these books are part of our health and 

wellbeing collection and are free to borrow. 

We also have leaflets and information about 

local support groups run by individuals (such 

as All Saints Church ‘Tea Service’). 

Jodie continued.. "I think it is essential 

that the library is part of making Evesham 

Dementia Friendly by being an information 

point and hosting dementia friends 

information sessions" 

To find out more contact EDAA via Liz Green 

Worcestershire@alzheimers.org.uk or visit 

our website www.dementiaaction.org.uk/ 

local_alliances/17181_evesham_dementia_ 

action_alliance and follow us on Facebook 

and Twitter @EveshamDAA 


Caring Hands banks up 

Caring Hands in the Vale is now able to 

provide five different ‘banks’ of resources 

to those in need in the Vale of Evesham. 

These banks are Food Bank, Household 

Bank, Baby Bank, Homelessness Bank and 

Clothing Bank. In addition, we provide 

drop-in meals twice a week for between 

40 and 50 people each session. We will 

be providing a lunch on Christmas Day 

for those who cannot easily provide 

themselves with a Christmas Lunch or 

who would otherwise be on their own. 

Last year we hosted around 40 people for 

lunch. 

Food Bank: 

At the moment we are operating on a 

40% increase, from this time last year, 

in referrals to the food bank. If this 

continues we will have donated over 600 

food parcels by the end of the current 

financial year – last financial year was 

464. A projection at this rate will provide 

around 25,000 meals for around 1000 

people. 

By the end of the current financial year 

we will have donated almost 6,000 food 

parcels in the 15 years of operation, which 

equates to around 500,000 (half a million) 

meals provided to people in need in the 

Vale of Evesham. 

In the next few weeks we will be providing 

Christmas Hampers to individuals and 

families in the Vale. Last year we were 

able to provide over 90 hampers which 

was only possible with the support of 

donations from the local community. This 

year we are expecting to exceed this total. 

Household Bank: 

Referrals to the household bank, which 

include toiletries, cleaning materials, 

laundry powder and toilet rolls, has 

increased by 60%, which shows us that it’s 

not only food that people are struggling 

to buy, but also basic household essential 

items. 

This also 

reflects a 30% increase in family referrals 

and significantly there has been an 

increase in referrals for people who are in 

work but on a low income. 

Baby Bank: 

The baby bank provides nappies, wipes, 

baby milk and baby toiletries and referrals 

are restricted to relevant agencies, such 

as health visits, midwives, GPs and social 

workers. At this point in time referrals 

have increased by 62%. 

However, to counter this, we have also 

seen a significant increase in donations 

from members of the public, schools, 

churches, community groups and local 

shops and supermarkets, without which 

we would not be able to meet this increase 

in referrals, and for which we are very 

thankful. 

Contact Diane if you would liek to donate 

or if you need advice or help on 07721 

559387 or church number 01386 765946 

email diane@eveshamchristiancentre. 

co.uk or info@chands.org.uk 


2018 set to be a year of opportunity 

for the Evesham property market 

As one year ends and another begins, we 

thought we’d take a look at what’s happened 

in the Evesham market over the last 12 

months, and what a year it has been. It’s true 

that something of a ‘cold front’ has been 

moving across most of the country, but the 

strong fundamentals which underpin the 

Evesham market mean that we’re well placed 

to weather any storm. 

The overall average price of a home in 

Evesham is now £249,000, which is 19.9 

per cent higher than the regional average. 

Over the last 12 months this has risen by 

1.7 per cent compared with a rise of 3.1 per 

cent in the region as a whole, so the area has 

underperformed the market in that sense. 

Since 2000, the average level of house price 

growth has been 7.5 per cent per year. 

There were 543 sales in our area in the last 

year, compared with 990 in the 12 months 

which preceded it. Comparisons with 2016 

need to be handled with care because of the 

big spike in sales before the stamp duty rise 

in April. The most common type of property 

to change hands were detached homes which 

accounted for 38.7 per cent of all sales. 

The average monthly rent of a property in our 

area is £670, which is 13.6 per cent higher than 

the regional average. Rents range between 

£430 for a room and £1,180 for a property with 

four or more bedrooms. We’re waiting to see 

what happens to rent level because the stamp 

duty changes made by George Osborne may 

have put off some ‘casual landlords’ from 

expanding their portfolios, limiting supply, 

but the investment opportunities available to 

serious investors may be too much to resist. 

Our expectation for 2018 is that the housing 

market will represent a fairly stable part of the 

overall UK economy. Whatever you may hear 

about Brexit and the financial markets, the 

property market is just taking its usual course, 

as one property market cycle ends and another 

one begins. Mortgage lending is holding up 

and there’s nothing resembling the credit 

crunch on the horizon because lending has 

been fairly sensible and ‘froth’ has not been 

allowed to build up on local prices. 

Given the natural advantages the Evesham 

property market has, we’re expecting 2018 to 

be a tremendous year for everyone involved in 

the housing market - buyers, sellers, landlords 

and renters alike. If you’re in any of those 

categories and want some advice on how best 

to make the property market work for you, 

please give us a call and we can give you a 

more complete lowdown on what we expect 

in 2018. 

By Tom Tarver, Director, Johnsons Property 

Time to upsize? 

Get your FREE INSTANT VALUATION 

Visit johnsons-property.co.uk 



Do you know what Life 

Coaching really means? 

Not sure about you but the life/work/family 

balance seems to get a little hetic and at 

times we can lose our way and miss the things 

that make our life good! If you would like 2018 

to be a little more organised, happier or just 

focused then read on... 

Bernadette Cuddy a local acreddited Life 

Coach explains how a Life Coach can help 

improve our busy lives and point us in the 

direction we want to be going in. 

About Bernadette: I am a busy working 

parent who fully understands the challenges 

of balancing my own personal needs with the 

demands of work, family, life and everything 

else that comes my way! 

I help people to realise what matters most in 

their lives, to achieve balance, and lead more 

fulfilling lives by challenging and supporting 

them to be the best they can be. 

A member of the International Coaching 

Federation, a qualified Business and Personal 

Coach, and consider CPD to be an essential 

part of my own growth and development. 

Areas I support people on: 

· Work life balance 

· Transition and change 

· Returning to work 

· Personal development and growth 

· Leading a more fulfilled life. 

What is Coaching? 

Coaching is a form of development whereby a 

coach supports a client in achieving a specific 

personal or professional goal. It is present and 

future focused, if differs from mentoring as 

it’s about clients finding their own answers as 

opposed to advice alone. 

How does it work? 

In our structured sessions, generally 4-5 works 

for most: · Clients identify their key personal 

or professional goals. 

· Supported to create actions to meet goals 

that fit with their own values and lifestyle by 

encouraging in a non-judgemental way. 

What can I gain from our Coaching sessions? 

· A reflective space. 

· Clarity on your direction. 

· Become ‘unstuck’. 

· Tackle that feeling of being overwhelmed. 

· Achieve balance. 

· Feel empowered. 

· Techniques to achieve calm. 

· Accountability to take action, achieve 

your goals, and create the life you want. 

I’m busy, how can I fit this 

around my professional life, my 

family, my friends and other 

commitments? .... Do not worry! 

I can help My hours are from 

7.00pm-9-00pm Monday to Friday 

and Saturday 9.00-4.00pm. 

I can meet face to face over coffee 

or many people find skype, or other 

similar platforms are very convenient, 

or a combination of both! 

Please join me at my Grow 2018 

workshop on the 16th January. 

I look forward to meeting you there! 

Find me on Facebook -FB me @ 

cuddycoaching 

MAKE THAT CHANGE NOW! 

GET YOUR EARLY BIRD TICKETS TO GROW 2018 WORKSHOP. 


SPOTLIGHT ON: Carer Tasha Perry from Bluebird Care 

Life as a Care Worker 

It was caring for an elderly 

relative which first made 

mum of two, Tasha, consider 

retraining as a carer four 

years ago. 

When she started with Evesham 

based Bluebird Care, Tasha 

was provided with all the initial 

training and is able to work 

part-time flexible hours which fit 

around her family. A call can last 

anything from half an hour to up 

to two and half hours depending 

on the customer’s care package. 

“It’s all about providing that 

personal touch, so I’ll be helping 

the customer get up and about, 

make them a cup of tea, get 

them their breakfast, tidy up 

and chat to them about how 

they are.” 

Tackling the ‘embarrassment 

factor’ 

Depending on a customer’s 

needs, there might also be 

some personal care which can 

be anything from helping them 

wash to applying cream or 

administering medication. 

While sometimes a sensitive 

subject, Tasha is quick to tackle 

it head on. 

“I just say ‘don’t be 

embarrassed’. We always 

encourage our customers to be 

as independent as possible – 

but equally if they do need more 

help, we’re there to make that 

side of things as comfortable 

as possible.” 

Providing reassurance 

Tasha particularly enjoys getting 

to know her customers and 

their interests. She will also 

often find herself providing 

reassurance, especially if the 

person is feeling down. 

“I will always find time to take 

a moment out to let them know 

that they’re not alone. It’s a 

pleasure to hold their hand and 

lift their spirits – to be a shoulder 

to lean on when they need it.” 

There is also paperwork to 

complete, although the company 

is shortly moving over onto a 

secure electronic system which 

will see her logging and checking 

everything via a smartphone. 

“The new system looks fantastic; 

it’ll allow me to tick off tasks and 

ultimately leave me with more 

time to spend with the customer, 

which can only be a good thing.” 

Tasha works different hours on 

different days to suit her family 

life and the needs of customers 

and she enjoys being able to 

switch roles from ‘carer’ to 

‘mum’. 

LOCAL 

HEROS 

“I adore my job 

and what I always say to new 

carers when I’m shadowing 

them is this: ‘If you care for our 

customers the same way as you 

would your own family, then you 

can’t go wrong’. That’s what I 

do. I put 100 per cent in, and I get 

so much back.” 

Do you have what it takes to be 

a carer? 

Bluebird Care specialises in 

working with customers and 

their families who require social 

care in their own homes. 

If you’re interested in finding 

out more about training and 

working with Bluebird Care, 

please call David Benjamin on 

01386 764830 or visit www. 

bluebirdcare.co.uk/worcesterwychavon 

to find out more. 

Vale Family Magazine are 

lookin for more local heros like 

Tasha! Please email editor@ 


Home is where 

the care is 

Home & live in care from 

Bluebird Care 

Find out more about our home care service 

and the difference it can make to your life. 

Email the Bluebird Care team: 

worcesterandwychavon@bluebirdcare.co.uk 

or call us on 01386 764830 

bluebirdcare.co.uk/worcester-wychavon 


Registered charity number 1149068 

CHRISTMAS TREE COLLECTION 

in aid of 

and other local charities 

Raise funds for 

St Richard’s Hospice by 

making a donation to have 

your tree collected and 

recycled. 

Our volunteers are collecting 

trees on 12th, 13th and 

14th January 2018. 

Register your tree by 9th January 2018 

To arrange a collection please book in at: 

www.charityxmastreecollection.com 

After costs, 90% of the monies raised will go to the hospice and the remaining 10% donated to other local charities. 

Saying goodbye 

to your tree... 

Don't forget to register your 

tree for collection and help 

raise money St Richards 

Hospice and other local 

charities. 

Our amazing volunteers from 

local businesses are giving up 

their time and resources to 

collect trees in your area. 

CHECK YOUR POSTCODE 

FOR COLLECTIONS 

WR1 

WR2 

WR3 

WR4 

WR5 

WR8 

WR9 

WR10 

WR11 

WR13 

WR14 

Register your tree online 

and make a donation of your 

choice supporting St Richard’s 

Hospice free specialist care 

and support we provide 

to over 3000 patients and 

their families throughout 

Worcestershire every year. 

charityxmastreecollection.com 

Jayne Sargeant, Community 

Fundraiser for St Richard’s 

Hospice said ... 

"We are humbled by all the 

volunteer support we have 

again this year" Jayne added 

" Thank you so much Vale 

Family Magazine for thinking 

of St Richard’s Hospice, we 

are incredibly grateful for 

the support you give, helping 

raise awareness of our care 

and all our fundraising for free 

campaigns" 

Vale Family Magazine regulary 

donate space to help charities 

and local good causes. 

We are happy to help and glad 

we have been of service. 

We could save you £101 on 

your motor insurance* or 

£101 on your home insurance* 

Our clients rate us! Over 1,000 clients rated us 4.8/5 for 

satisfaction on reviews.co.uk 

Call us on 01386 425691 

6 Vine Street, Evesham WR11 4RE 

aplan.co.uk/evesham 

*61% of motor and 78% of home new clients saved money, with an average saving of £101 on both products between 

May 2015 and October 2015. A-Plan Insurance is Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. 

Registered office: Des Roches Square, Witney OX28 4LE. Registration number 750484. 


Moroccan-spiced 

Turkey Pie 

Transform leftover turkey in this spiced filo pastry parcel, 

inspired by a Moroccan pastilla - 

a perfect main course for Boxing Day! 

Prep. time 20 minutes - Cooking time 60 mins - For 6 

Ingredients & Method 

500g leftover Turkey 

2 tsp Coriander seeds 

2 tsp Cumin seeds 

Pinch of ground cinnamon 

2 tbsp olive oil olive oil 

2 Aubergines, cut into small dice 

2 banana shallots, halved and sliced 

2 tbsp Harissa 

2 Peppers (any colours will do) 

227g can chopped tomatoes 

1 chicken stock cube 

100g Butter melted, plus extra for greasing 

250g pack (about 10 large sheets) filo pastry 

25g flaked almonds 

1. Heat a large non-stick pan over a medium 

heat and toast the coriander and cumin 

seeds for 1-2 mins until fragrant. 

Add the cinnamon, olive oil, aubergine and 

shallots. Coat the veg in the spices and cook 

on a medium-low heat for about 10 mins 

until the aubergine has softened slightly. 

2. Add the harissa and peppers. Give 

everything a good stir, then add the 

tomatoes and crumble over the stock cube. 

Simmer, uncovered, for 20 mins until the 

veg is tender and the mixture is nice and 

thick. 

3.Stir through the turkey meat and season 

well. Set aside to cool. 

4.Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and 

grease a 23cm springform tin with a little 

butter. Lay two sheets of filo over the base 

of the tin and brush with the melted butter. 

Cross over another two layers of filo and 

brush again with butter. Repeat once more, 

then put the cooled filling in the centre. 

Using the remaining four pastry sheets, 

cover the filling and brush with more melted 

butter. Scrunch the top of the pie together 

and bake for 30-35 mins. 

5.Remove from the oven and scatter the pie 

with the flaked almonds. Cook for a final 10 

mins until the pie is golden and piping hot. 

Serve straight away. 

It's a 

cracker! 

We have made a list of the very best 

cheesy festive jokes for you to share! 

What is the best Christmas present 

in the world? 

A broken drum, you just can’t beat it! 

Why does Santa have three gardens? 

So he can Ho Ho Ho 

What do you call an old snowman ? 

Water 

What do elves learn at elf school? 

The elfabet !!! 

Why don’t reindeer like penguins? 

Because they can’t take the wrapper off !!

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