THE SOUTHERN CO-OPERATIVESUMMER 2015

Holiday foodto shareTry our delicious Mediterranean recipes

CELEBRATING SUMMERGet out and about with us

TIME TO GO WILD Why we’re backing a nature campaign

LOCAL LIVES Whizz-Kidz turns 25 O Communities online O Supporting foodbanks

A hotel break, a summer read and more great prizes

3

contents

What’s not to love about summer? If, like me, you spend as much time as possible outdoors, then The Wildlife Trusts’ ‘My Wild Life’ campaign (page 20) will inspire you to make the most of summer. For naturalist

and TV presenter Chris Packham, who shares his favourite things with us (page 34), going for a long walk in the woods with his dogs is one of his much-loved activities.

Bring the sunshine into your kitchen with delicious recipes from the Mediterranean (page 10). Talking of food, on page 22 we’ve got a tasty treat for one lucky winner and guest to celebrate our support for this year’s Hampshire Food Festival. Plus come and try our Local Flavours range at this festival and other country shows, when we’re out and about in Hampshire and Isle of Wight.

Our first year partnering Whizz-Kidz has whizzed by and you’ve helped raise a staggering £230,000 for them to enable disabled children across the south to live a more independent life (page 28). If you’d like to continue this support, join their £25 fundraising challenge to celebrate their 25th birthday in 2015 or look out for fundraising activities in our stores!

However you’re spending this summer, I hope you enjoy catching up on our news, features and the giveaways and competitions in this edition. We’d love to hear from you (see page 24).

CONTACT The Co-operative Magazine, The Southern Co-operative, 1000 Lakeside, Western Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire PO6 3FE Email community@southerncoops.co.uk Web thesouthernco-operative.co.uk For membership queries phone 0800 65 20 124 or email membersupport@southerncoops.co.ukThe Southern Co-operative Limited is an industrial and provident society registered in England with registered number 1591R at registered office 1000 Lakeside, Western Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire PO6 3FE

SOPHIE BOXALL Editor

Welcome

Features5 NOW’S A GREAT TIME TO... Make the most of summer with these fun tips 18 BIG UP YOUR BRAIN We show you ways to boost your grey matter20 CALL OF THE WILD

How we’re backing The Wildlife Trusts26 HOW TO SAY GOODBYE

What The Co-operative Funeralcare can offer 30 LET’S GET TOGETHER ONLINE Make some new friends from your living room

Food10 HEAD FOR THE MED Holiday food comes home16 LET THERE BE LIGHT Easy healthy eating for summer

The Co-operative Magazine is published on behalf of The Southern Co-operative by The River Group, Garden Floor, 16 Connaught Place, London W2 2ES. Tel: 020 7420 7000. Fax: 020 7583 8598. Web: therivergroup.co.uk © The River Group 2015. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the permission of the publisher. Repro by Zebra. The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the publishers, but of individual writers.

Regulars6 WHAT’S GOING ON? Some of the campaigns that we’ve helped9 TSC NEWS FROM YOUR SOCIETY Local Flavours tastings and street improvement grants on offer – don’t miss out!22 MORE FOR OUR MEMBERS Give us feedback and enter our foodie comp24 PINBOARD You tell us how we’re doing 25 OPINION Trussell Trust’s Anne Danks on foodbanks28 OUR COMMUNITIES COME FIRST

Help us celebrate Whizz-Kidz’s 25th birthday34 MY FAVOURITE THINGS Chris Packham on what makes him tick 35 OUR GREAT SUMMER GIVEAWAY

Win a spa escape and other goodies

10

20

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For a chance to win a book or teapot (p5) a Hampshire hotel break, a Weleda shower cream, a pressure cooker or copies of The No Time to Cook Book and Herbs &

Spices: The Cook’s Reference (p35), send a postcard or email marked CRIME, TEA, HAMPSHIRE, WELEDA, TEFAL or COOKBOOKS with your name, address,

phone number and The Southern Co-operative (TSC) membership number, to our address (left). To enter online, click on WIN! at thesouthernco-operative.co.uk/membership.

Closing date: 21 August 2015. Full T&Cs on website. Only open to TSC members.

5

things to do

Relax in the garden with this Bredemeijer

Lund teapot (inthehaus.co.uk). Enjoy a cuppa

from this perfect pottery pourer, which comes

in three shades and is available in three sizes.

The 0.5-litre capacity pot normally costs

£29.95, but we have one to give away.

To enter, see page 3,

prize code: TEA.

Swimming lowers your

stress levels, boosts muscle

strength and your mood,

and is suitable for any age or

ability. In the summer months,

swap your indoor leisure

centre for an outdoor lido (try

Hilsea’s recently reopened

lido in Portsmouth) or beyond.

However, if considering

outdoor swimming in a lake,

river or sea, do take proper

safety precautions. Check

currents, tides and weather

conditions and never swim

alone. For more information, visit

outdoorswimmingsociety.com.

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READ OUTSIDE Whether lazing in the garden

or lying on the beach, nothing

beats relaxing with a gripping

thriller. A must-read this

summer is Pretty Girls

(£20, Century), a chilling

mystery surrounding a

missing girl and the latest

offering from crime

queen Karin

Slaughter. We

have three

copies to give

away. For a

chance to

win yours,

see page 3,

prize code:

CRIME.

Fancy some animal adventures this

summer? Enjoy a day out watching

the falconry displays at the Isle of

Wight’s Robin Hill Adventure Park or

treat the kids with a visit to Dorset’s

ever-popular Monkey World. Find

out how we’re supporting our local

wildlife trusts getting back

to nature on p20.

GET WILD

GET BERRY FRUITY Berries (and cherries)

are vitamin rich, a good source of fibre and packed with

antioxidants, which makes them a perfect healthy eating choice

for this time of the year. Strawberries, raspberries and cherries

are all at their best this season. Find them in store now.

Camping is a great way to get outdoors in

our lovely UK countryside and go on holiday

without blowing the budget – although there

are plenty of swankier glamping options

available now, of course. Top tips if you are

considering a trip with a tent include always

pitching on a flat surface, taking a head

torch (and batteries) and don’t forget your

waterproofs. TV presenter and camping fan

Kate Humble always keeps dry socks handy

and recommends couscous as the perfect

camping fodder as ‘it’s easy to cook,

takes little water and doesn’t waste fuel’.

What’s going on?

From ensuring the next generation is environmentally aware to judging the best food and drink Sussex has to offer, there’s

been plenty going on across our communities

?

E.Y.E on the environmentPlanet protection was the lesson of the day when 80 primary school

children attended a summit in Littlehampton, West Sussex, to discover

how small changes can make a big difference to the environment.

Organised by the E.Y.E Project (short for Eco, Young and Engaged), and

supported by TSC, children picked up tips from experts about being green

and shared their own schools’ eco initiatives. They also sampled local

food and joined various workshops teaching new skills, including cheese

making and creating toys and musical instruments out of junk.

The very best food and

drink in the South Downs

is being put on the map

thanks to a new online directory.

Commenting on

southdownsfood.org, Trevor

Beattie, Chief Executive of South

Downs National Park, says: ‘From

artisan cheese, ‘super-food’

watercress and wild venison, to

micro-breweries and some of

the best sparkling wines in the

world, the South Downs should

be recognised for high-quality,

sustainable food almost as much

as it is for its spectacular beauty

and tranquil spaces.’

Gemma Lacey, TSC’s Director

of Sustainability, adds: ‘We have a

close working relationship with the

local food producers who supply

our popular Local Flavours range,

which is available in an increasing

number of our stores. Supporting

southdownsfood.org is a natural

extension of our commitment to

a sustainable rural economy.’

Children got hands-on

eco-summit

at the Littlehampton

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7

all about us

Big Co-op clean upWhen we work together, we can

achieve so much more than when

we work alone – especially

when it comes to cleaning.

That’s why Co-operative

businesses up and down the

country will be taking to the

streets with their brooms and

bin bags during Co-operatives

Fortnight (20 June to 4 July).

Whether it’s tidying up the

local park or helping an elderly

neighbour clean their house,

using collective elbow grease

can achieve so much more!

For more information, go to

uk.coop/fortnight.

We’re all used

to saving a few

pounds thanks

to special offers,

but imagine if you

came home from

your local food

shop £5,000 richer.

That’s what happened to Portsmouth resident, Sharon

Ford (pictured), who won a whopping £5,000 windfall with her

shopping, thanks to TSC’s Lucky Locals campaign.

Each time shoppers at 39 TSC stores across the

Portsmouth region spent £5 or more, they received a Lucky

Locals scratch card with the chance to win a share of prizes

worth £1 million. In addition to Sharon’s windfall, four people

won £1,000 and 13 took home £500. Thousands of food,

drink and other cash prizes were also claimed.

Health professionals, volunteers and

carers who help people who have

lost a loved one all came together

to share knowledge at a one-day

Exploring Loss conference organised

by The Bereavement Centre and

Solent NHS with TSC’s support.

The not-for-profit event involved talks

and workshops led by professional and

charitable organisations.

‘Bereavement is still quite a

taboo subject,’ said Lord Mayor of

Portsmouth, Cllr Wylie, who opened

the conference. ‘Being a typical man,

I’m guilty of not talking about it easily

myself. It’s encouraging to see people

working together to offer support and

provide information so no one is alone

in their grief.’

Proceeds from the conference,

totalling £400, were presented to

Cllr Wylie for the Lord Mayor’s

Charity Appeal. To attend the

next conference on Thursday, 29

October (£15pp), visit the website at

thebereavementcentre.co.uk.

Sweet success Cocoa Loco’s chocolate hit the spot with judges at

the 2015 Sussex Food & Drink Awards, winning Food

Producer of the Year, sponsored by TSC. Founder

Sarah Payne (pictured) started the company 10 years

ago, baking brownies in her Aga and selling them on

eBay. She now heads up a team of chocolate artisans

and has a shop in Horsham, West Sussex.

TSC’s Local Sourcing Manager, Kate Hibbert, who

judged the award, says, ‘As

well as making amazing

products, Cocoa

Loco is a very

innovative

business,

which has

embraced

opportunities to

develop and diversify

in a sustainable way.

We’re hoping to stock

Cocoa Loco in our

Local Flavours range.’

RAISING

ASPIRATIONS Three-quarters of British

businesses believe that a

significant skills crisis will

hit the UK within the next

three years, with the reading

levels of young people below

those of their parents for the

first time in generations.

To help tackle this issue, Mark

Smith, TSC’s Chief Executive,

is chairing Business in the

Community’s flagship education

programme, Business Class, in

the Solent area. This supports

employers to work strategically

with secondary schools within

structured three-year partnerships,

with the aim of improving the

employability of young people and

raising their aspirations.

Over 400 businesses have

taken part in the programme

with schools across the country.

Schools involved within

the Solent region include

Portchester Community School,

St Aldhelm’s Academy in Poole

and Woodlands Community

College in Southampton.

‘As a major regional employer

committed to supporting local

communities and the regional

economy, it’s vital that we engage

with young people to ensure

that they achieve their individual

and collective potential,’ says

Mark Smith.

As part of TSC’s partnership

with Portchester Community

School, colleagues will help

pupils gain the confidence to

pursue their goals via mentoring,

mock interview days and

career workshops.

Our Local Flavours range began on the

Isle of Wight nine years ago, and has since

expanded across Hampshire, Sussex and

southern England. On the Island, over

350 products are sourced from more than

30 local producers. These range from

seasonal specialities to weekly staples,

including locally grown vegetables,

handmade sausages, artisan bread, Isle

of Wight milk, cheese and lots more.

Key suppliers include Hamilton’s Fine

Foods, The Garlic Farm, The Tomato Stall,

Minghella ice cream, The Isle of Wight

Cheese Company, Phillips Fine Foods and

Farmhouse Fayre.

The opening of our new Freshwater

store on the Island – a flagship store for

Local Flavours – sees an even wider

range of local food and drink under one

roof, with regular opportunities to meet

suppliers in store and enjoy tastings of

their delicious fare.

Residents in Portsmouth have been taking advantage of a mini-grants

project to improve their local area thanks to a partnership between

TSC, Portsmouth City Council, The News, Hampshire & Isle of Wight

Wildlife Trust and Action Portsmouth.

Grants worth £500 are being awarded to volunteer-led groups

as part of the Love Your Street initiative. The money is for use

on projects that make a change for the better in a street or small

neighbourhood. Ideas include creating a community garden,

cleaning up a derelict area, planting some trees and setting up

a street-befriending project to support vulnerable neighbours.

TSC has donated £20,000 to the two-year scheme.

LOVE YOUR STREET

9

all about us

TSC’s Jessica Hughes, Brian Bracher of Portsmouth City Council and Joanne Bowles, a volunteer for Portsmouth Together

the Business Class programme

Mark Smith, TSC

Chief Executive, is chairing

Keeping you up to date with what’s happening

TSC news

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Enjoy your favourite holiday food with these delicious recipes to share

Head for the Med

PaellaA vibrant colourful dish – perfect for sharing

Serves 4-6 Ready in around 1 hour

@ 2 tbsp olive oil

@ 150g chorizo, sliced

@ 2 large onions, peeled and finely chopped

@ 2-3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

@ 2 The Co-operative Truly Irresistible sweet pointed

red peppers, deseeded and sliced

@ 1 yellow pepper, deseeded and chopped

@ 3 vine-ripened tomatoes, skinned and chopped (see

tip, below right)

@ 1 tsp paprika

@ 300g paella rice

@ 1 litre hot vegetable stock (using one stock cube)

with a pinch of saffron added

@ 200g fresh or frozen cooked prawns. (If using frozen,

defrost thoroughly)

@ 100g frozen peas

@ Lemon wedges, to serve

1 Heat the oil in a paella pan (or large frying

pan). Add chorizo and cook over a medium

heat, stirring frequently for 3-5 minutes until

chorizo is crispy around the edges.

Remove with a draining spoon and set aside.

2 Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring

regularly for 4-5 minutes until softened.

3 Add red and yellow peppers and cook

on a medium heat for 5-6 minutes. Add

paprika and season well, then add tomatoes

and rice and cook, stirring for 1-2 minutes.

4 Stir in 800ml of the stock and cook over

a medium heat, stirring frequently for 10

minutes. Add remaining stock and cook

for a further 5 minutes. Add the chorizo

and any juices collected on the plate and cook

for a further 5 minutes. Add prawns and peas

and cook for a final 5-10 minutes or until

the rice is tender and all the liquid has

been absorbed.

5 Serve straight away with lemon wedges.

Borek Straws with Red Pepper and Walnut Dip This yummy dip is teamed with a tasty twist

on Turkish pastry parcels

Serves 4-6 Ready in around 1 hour 10 minutes

RED PEPPER AND WALNUT DIP@ 2 red peppers, halved and deseeded

@ 100g walnuts

@ 1 tsp ground cumin

@ 1 tsp ground paprika

@ 4 tbsp olive oil

@ 1 tbsp lemon juice

@ 1 garlic clove, peeled and roughly chopped

BOREK STRAWS@ 150g young leaf spinach

@ 100g feta cheese, crumbled finely

@ 1 large egg, beaten

@ 1 x 320g sheet ready-rolled puff pastry,

thawed if frozen

1 Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C Fan/Gas

7. Place the peppers, skin side uppermost, on

a baking tray. Roast for 25 minutes or until the

skins blacken. Place in a bowl and cover with

clingfilm. Leave until cool enough to handle.

Peel away skin and discard. Place in a food

processor or blender. Place the walnuts in a

small frying pan with the cumin and paprika.

Heat gently, stirring for a few minutes until the

spices and walnuts are beginning to toast.

Add to the food processor or blender with the

remaining dip ingredients and 1 tbsp water

and whizz until smooth. Reduce the oven

temperature to 200°C/180°C Fan/Gas 6.

Line one large baking sheet with baking paper.

2 To make the borek straws: Place the

spinach in a large pan and cover with a lid. Heat

gently, stirring once or twice for 5-6 minutes until

the spinach has wilted. Drain then leave until

cool enough to handle. Squeeze as much liquid

as possible from the spinach, either with your

hands or by pressing it between two plates.

3 Finely chop the spinach and mix with the feta.

Season well with freshly ground black pepper.

Unroll the pastry sheet and brush all over with

some of the beaten egg.

4 Gently spread the spinach and feta mixture

over the pastry, pressing down gently with the

back of the spoon to stick. The mixture should

be spread as evenly as possible.

5 Cut the pastry sheet in half lengthways then

cut into 8 strips across the width, making 16

in total. One at a time, carefully twist the pastry

strips and place on the baking-paper-lined

baking sheet. Brush each pastry strip with the

remaining beaten egg and bake for 12-14

minutes. Serve warm or cold with the dip.

10

carbohydrates per serving: 159.5g

approx. per serving (serves 4)*

% of adult’s reference intake

SATURATESENERGY

3787kJ906kcal

SUGARS SALTFAT

21%

14.5g 3.1g 10.7g 3.8g

45% 15.5% 12% 63%

MED LOW LOW HIGH

carbohydrates per serving: 28.8g

% of adult’s reference intake

SATURATESENERGY

1818kJ435kcal

SUGARS SALTFAT

45%

31.4g 12.8g 1.5g

22% 64% 1.5% 26.5%

HIGH HIGH LOW MED

1.6g

Borek straws. Approx. per serving (serves 4)*

carbohydrates per serving: 6.7g

% of adult’s reference intake

SATURATESENERGY

1279kJ306kcal

SUGARS SALTFAT

41%

28.6g 3g 5.6g

15% 15% 6% 1.5%

HIGH MED LOW LOW

0.1g

Red pepper and walnut dip. Approx. per serving (serves 4)*

11

TIP Skin fresh tomatoes by boiling them for 25

seconds in a pan of water. Cool in iced water

then gently pull away skins.

For a delicious

veggie version of this paella,

email us at community@

southerncoops.co.uk

12

Halloumi Souvlaki A lovely veggie take on this Greek favourite

Serves 6 Ready in around 25 minutes plus marinating

@ 3 tbsp olive oil

@ 2 tsp dried oregano

@ 2-3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

or crushed

@ Finely grated rind and juice of 1 small lemon

@ 300g halloumi cheese, cut into large cubes

@ 1 large courgette, cut into 1cm-thick slices

@ 2 orange peppers, deseeded and cut into

large chunks

@ Warm pitta bread or wraps, finely sliced red onion

and tzatziki, to serve

1 Mix the oil, oregano, garlic and lemon

rind and juice in a large shallow dish. Add

halloumi, courgette and orange pepper pieces

and season well. Toss to coat the halloumi

and vegetables well in the marinade. Cover

and leave for at least 30 minutes at room

temperature or overnight in the fridge.

2 Preheat a grill to medium-hot. Thread the

halloumi and vegetable pieces alternately onto

skewers (If using wooden skewers, soak in

water for 20 minutes to prevent burning).

3 Place the skewers on a grill pan and cook,

turning regularly, for 8-10 minutes until the

halloumi and vegetables are turning golden.

Or barbecue. If you prefer vegetables more

cooked, pan-fry courgettes and pepper for a

few minutes before cooling and threading on

skewers with cheese, then cook as above. **T

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4 Serve the skewers straight away on warm

pitta bread or wraps, with finely sliced red

onion and tzatziki.

Chermoula Chicken Add a North African spice mix to chicken

Serves 4-6 Ready in around 1 hour plus marinating

@ 4 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped

@ 1 red chilli, de-seeded and roughly chopped

@ 2 tsp honey

@ 3 tbsp olive oil

@ Juice and finely grated zest of 1 small lemon

@ 1 tsp paprika

@ 2 tsp ground cumin

@ 5g (small handful) flat-leaf parsley

@ 5g (small handful) fresh coriander

TIP Make your own

tzatziki by mixing a

150g pot of natural

yogurt with ¼

cucumber, grated,

and 1 garlic clove,

peeled and crushed.

carbohydrates per serving: 24.8g

approx. per serving (serves 6)*

% of adult’s reference intake

SATURATESENERGY

1592kJ383kcal

SUGARS SALTFAT

35%

24.2g 11.1g 4.5g 2.3g

19% 56% 5% 38%

HIGHLOWHIGHHIGH

CHARITYHOLIDAYS COME HOME

Salad Niçoise A tasty way to get your oily fish quota

Serves 4 Ready in around 20 minutes plus cooling

DRESSING@ 3 tbsp olive oil

@ 2 tbsp lemon juice

@ 1 tsp smooth Dijon mustard

@ ½ tsp honey

@ 1 garlic clove, peeled and halved

SALAD@ 4 large The Co-operative British free-range eggs

@ 1 tsp olive oil

@ 2 x (220g) The Co-operative salmon fillets, skinned

@ 100g French beans, trimmed

@ 2 x (120g) bags salad leaves

@ ½ cucumber

@ 4 spring onions, finely sliced diagonally (optional)

@ 16 black olives

1 For the dressing: Mix all the ingredients

together in a small bowl or screwtop jar.

Season well with salt and freshly ground

black pepper and set aside.

2 Fill 2 small pans with water and bring to the

boil. Carefully lower the eggs into one of the

pans, one at a time on a spoon. Bring back to

the boil and boil for 8 minutes. Drain and run

under the cold tap for a few minutes. Cool then

peel and cut in half.

3 Once the eggs are in the pan, heat the oil in a

frying pan or griddle. Add the salmon and cook

Cut the cucumber in half lengthways. Use a

teaspoon to scoop out the seeds from the

centre of each half; discard. Slice the cucumber

and divide between the plates with the optional

spring onions and olives. Arrange the eggs and

beans on the salad, then the salmon. Drizzle with

the dressing (removing the garlic first), season

with freshly ground black pepper, and serve.

@ 1 x (1.1kg) pack chicken thighs and

drumsticks

@ Minty couscous and lime wedges, to serve

1 Place the garlic, chilli, honey, olive oil, lemon

juice and zest, paprika, cumin, parsley and

coriander in a food processor or blender.

2 Place chicken in a large, non-metallic shallow

ovenproof dish and make 2 or 3 slashes in

each piece with a sharp knife. Spread the

chermoula paste over the chicken pieces,

cover and marinate at room temperature for

2 hours, or overnight in the fridge.

3 Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/Gas

4. Place the chicken in a shallow ovenproof

dish. Roast for 45-50 minutes or until golden.

Serve with couscous, made according

to pack instructions and mixed with finely

chopped fresh mint, parsley and red pepper.

over a medium-high heat, turning over once or

twice, for 8 minutes or until cooked through and

just turning crisp and golden in parts.

4 Meanwhile, add the beans to the other pan of

water and simmer for 3-5 minutes or until just

tender and bright green. Drain and rinse under

cold water. Drain.

5 Arrange the leaves over 4 serving plates. PH

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carbohydrates per serving: 52.6g

approx. per serving (serves 4)*

% of adult’s reference intake

SATURATESENERGY

2241kJ535kcal

SUGARS SALTFAT

34%

23.8g 5.0g 4.5g 0.2g

27% 25% 5% 3%

HIGH MED LOW LOW

*Thi

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carbohydrates per serving: 4.1g

approx. per serving (serves 4)*

% of adult’s reference intake

SATURATESENERGY

1668kJ399kcal

SUGARS SALTFAT

41%

28.7g 5.5g 3.6g 1.2g

20% 27.5% 4% 21%

HIGH MED LOW MED

13

14

Tiramisu This ever-popular Italian dessert is

so easy to make

Serves 6 Ready in around 15 minutes plus chilling

@ 1 (250g) tub mascarpone cheese

@ 350ml double cream

@ 30g golden caster sugar

@ 1 tsp vanilla essence

@ 120ml cold strong black coffee

@ 50ml Marsala wine or coffee liqueur

@ Approx 20 sponge fingers

@ Dark chocolate for grating and cocoa powder

for dusting

1 Place the mascarpone cheese in a large

mixing bowl and beat until smooth.

Add the double cream, caster sugar and

vanilla essence.

2 Whisk gently until the mixture is thick

and creamy, taking care not to over-whisk.

3 Mix the coffee with the wine or liqueur

in a shallow dish. One at a time, dip

half of the sponge fingers in the coffee

mixture, turning each one over to

coat both sides (the fingers will absorb

the liquid quite quickly so don’t leave

them sitting in it). Divide the fingers

between 6 serving glasses.

4 Spoon half of the cheese and cream

mixture over the sponge fingers and

level. Finely grate half of the chocolate

over the top.

5 Repeat the process, finishing with a

layer of the mascarpone mixture. Using

the back of a spoon, make swirls on top of

the mixture. Cover with clingfilm and chill

in the fridge overnight, or for at least a few

hours. Grate over the remaining chocolate

or top with chocolate curls and dust lightly

with cocoa powder.

TIP Try substituting

the mascarpone

and cream mix with

good quality vanilla

ice cream for a

deliciously chilled

version. Just soften,

spoon into the

layers and refreeze

for half an hour.

carbohydrates per serving: 73.3g

approx. per serving (serves 6)*

% of adult’s reference intake

SATURATESENERGY

3348kJ803kcal

SUGARS SALTFAT

74%

51.6g 24.8g 49.4g 0.9g

40% 124% 55% 15%

HIGH HIGH HIGH MED

It’s often easier to eat well in the summer. Here are a few tips to help you on the way to a healthier diet this season

Let there be

It’s salad season‘Salads can be a gourmet delight and really filling,’ says Sue. ‘Pile on as much veg as you like and experiment with Middle Eastern-style mixes with cereals, pulses and grains – using seeds or nuts as an alternative protein punch to cheese, eggs or meat. Or add Quorn to your salad – a great low-fat, high-fibre protein source. Most of us eat more meat than we need to and veggie protein is more environmentally friendly. You can also try fish to ring the changes. Ideally, eat two portions of heart-healthy oily fish a week, packed with omega-3 fatty acids.’

Dress it down‘It’s the dressing and any extras – like cheese or mayo that add the calories to salads. One tablespoon of oil has 120

Eat a rainbow‘Summer is a good time to get all those wonderfully coloured fruit and vegetables into your diet,’ says registered dietitian and nutritionist Sue Baic. ‘The colour of your food is key. If you pick a selection of reds, greens and yellows, in peppers, carrots and green leaves, for example, you’ll have a really balanced plate and an instant health boost with an array of protective antioxidants. Serve raw in salads or try steaming, poaching or stir-fries for the healthiest way to cook and use spray oil instead of straight from a bottle. Make your own low-cal oil by mixing oil and water in a spray bottle.’

healthy eating

– as regular yogurt. Of course, yogurt

is also great for your bone health, too, as it is

packed with calcium and rich in probiotic bacteria, vitamin D, potassium and B vitamins. It could cut your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, too, according to a Harvard School of Public Health study. Just 28 milligrams a day (a couple of spoonfuls, preferably unsweetened) reduces your risk by nearly a fifth. It’s thought eating yogurt can help keep your weight in check by replacing obesity triggering bugs in your stomach with ‘good’ bacteria that boost your metabolism.

Dairy newsWomen aren’t getting enough dairy because of fears it’s fattening, but you need

to aim for two to three servings a day. Lower fat is just as good.

Drinking three glasses of milk a day could not only protect your bones

but also help you beat dementia and Parkinson’s,

says a new US study*. Older people who drank milk

regularly had higher levels of naturally occurring glutathione,

a powerful antioxidant that helps protect your brain cells.

17

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2At My Table by Mary McCartney,

(£20, Chatto & Windus) is full of family-friendy vegetarian feasts, inspired by memories of her mother Linda’s meat-free recipes for parties and celebrations.

3Microplane Spiral Cutter (£9.95,

steamer.co.uk). Try vegetable noodles in place of pasta for super-healthy eating, or liven up salads with courgette or carrot ribbons. This clever gadget comes with two different-sized blades.

4Breville Blend- Active Single

Bottle Just Blend & Go Smoothie Maker (£24.99, coopelectricalshop.co.uk). Whizz up a healthy fruit smoothie or shake in seconds in your drinks bottle, and you’re out the door.

SUMMER SWAPSMake these simple seasonal switches to improve your diet BreakfastIf porridge feels too wintry, choose an oat-based cereal with cold milk or yogurt. Oats have a low GI (glycaemic index) so cause blood sugar to rise gradually, leaving you feeling fuller for longer. Try muesli using oats or oat-based cereals such as Oatibix.Lunch

Try a chilled soup, such as gazpacho, instead of hot. If you fancy some bread, that’s fine, just switch from white to wholegrain or seeded for healthier, lower GI, slow-release energy.Dinner Swap potatoes for sweet potatoes or wholegrain rice. Carbohydrates are an important part of your diet, even in summer eating, but it’s good to ring the changes with lighter options. Desserts

Replace stodgy puddings with more fruit-based ones. Make fresh fruit skewers that you can have cold or grilled. If you fancy pastry, opt for lower-fat options. Make a pie using berries, high in polyphenols. Swap cream for 0% fat Greek yogurt. Sunshine snacks Summer party nibbles can be healthy. Swap high-cal, high-salt crisps for popcorn (try savoury), or try bread sticks and crudites with a salsa or yogurt dip.

calories,’ says Sue. ‘Make your own dressing with less oil: mix balsamic vinegar and lemon juice, and just a tiny bit of oil, or try a yogurt dressing by mixing yogurt, herbs and mustard.’

The truth about juice High sugar, bad for your teeth? Juice has had a bad press lately, but it’s still one of your five a day and can give you lots of vitamins and minerals. But limit your juice to just one 150ml glass a day – any more won’t count as an extra portion. ‘The problem with juice is it doesn’t fill you up, or give you the fibre that actual fruit does,’ says Sue, ‘so get at least four or five of your five a day portions from whole fruit or veg – that whole chewing process makes you feel fuller.’

Try A protein hit For a great sunshine dessert, you could try replacing cream with natural yogurt on summer fruits, and it fills you up, too.

Greek yogurt is the star – just one cup provides about as much protein as a three-ounce steak, twice as much protein – 23 grams per eight-ounce cup

Five of the best healthy buys for summer

5Misto Oil Sprayer. (£7.99, lakeland.co.uk).

Looking for a healthier way to cook meats and vegetables or to dress your summer salads? Then try this handy pump-action gadget which is easy to use and clean.

1 The Co-operative Loved by Us

Reduced Fat Houmous (200g). This healthier, low-fat option is really delicious and it’s also perfect for all your outdoor eating this summer. So why not dip in?

18

Did you know? It used to be thought that

we were born with all our

brain cells and that they

then slowly degenerated

throughout our lives. But

we now know that new

brain cells (neurons) can

be produced in certain

parts of our brains right

up until we die…

Make sure your grey matter is working at its optimum best, because there’s plenty you can do to improve its performance –

from simple dietary tweaks to learning a musical instrument. Julia Shaw shares some brain-boosting tips

Just switch offStop trying to multitask.

Research shows that

all that juggling: home,

work, social life, emails,

Twitter and Facebook

could be slowing your

brain down, not making you

more productive. It can increase

the production of the stress

hormone cortisol as well as

adrenaline, which can

overstimulate your brain,

making you confused and fuzzy-

headed. Find time every day

to switch off for a while, and

keep flashing and buzzing

mobiles and laptops away from

your bed when you’re winding

down to sleep.

Learn something new By the time we are

middle-aged, much of

our time is spent on

skills and tasks learnt long

before. It’s time to tax your brain

(and activate a part of it called

the nucleus basalis) by learning

something new. Try a language,

a complex game like bridge, a

musical instrument or even just

a new dance.

health & FITNESS

19

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Mediterranean diet, with its

antioxidant-packed fruit and veg

and omega-3-rich oily fish. Don’t

forget to check out our delicious

Mediterranean recipes (from

page 10) in this issue.

Cut back on sugarTo stay mentally alert

you need stable blood-

sugar levels. Recent

research suggests a link

between Alzheimer’s and type 2

diabetes. Your hormones, stress

and caffeine can all have an

effect on how your body

controls sugar. Avoid too many

sugary foods as they can

disturb glucose levels, making

you lose concentration. Instead,

opt for complex carbohydrates

such as wholegrain bread and

pasta, nuts, seeds and legumes

(eg, chickpeas and kidney

beans) and potatoes, for a

steady, slow release of glucose.

Keep hydratedDrink plenty of water

– even slight dehydration

slows the rate that

nutrients reach your brain.

Recent research says the

caffeine in a couple of cups of

coffee a day can improve short-

term concentration and memory.

But go easy – too much of the

stimulant isn’t good for your

brain. A study

by the

University of

Newcastle

also showed

that tea,

especially

green tea,

can help

to protect

the brain.

Take a nap

An afternoon siesta is

thought to be another

reason for improved

mental health and long life.

A recent French study has also

shown that getting just half an

hour’s shut-eye during the day

restored key proteins and

hormones in people who had

only two hours’ sleep the

previous night.

Sharpen up Make the most of your

memory and use it

regularly and that portion

of your brain can actually get

better as you reach middle age.

Studies have found that you start

using both sides of the brain to

do routine tasks, making you

better at problem solving. Women

in their forties, fifties and sixties

tend to score higher on

vocabulary and verbal memory

tests than younger women. Build

memory and vocabulary by doing

crossword puzzles and number

games like sudoku.

Just move moreExercise affects your

brain in a good way; it

can increase its size,

particularly in those areas that

can diminish with age, promote

cognitive function and help grow

new brain cells. Studies have

shown that exercise increases

blood flow to the brain. Aim for

about 20 minutes a day. Even

a short daily walk may lower

your risk of dementia. And try

Pilates or yoga to calm the brain.

Get a good night’s sleep

Insomnia and restless

nights can affect your

memory because you

regenerate cells while you’re

asleep. The first third of our

sleep is the deepest and

most effective.

How memory worksOur short-term memory is extremely limited – it’s thought

that it can only hold around seven items and for just 15

to 30 seconds. Items in it are discarded or converted to

long-term memory by the hippocampus (often the first part

of the brain to be damaged by Alzheimer’s disease), found

in the brain’s medial temporal lobe. Long-term memory can

be conscious (to remember specific facts that you have

learnt), unconscious (for tasks you have done many times

before) or implicit (when you remember things by procedure).

Mix it up‘Using your less

dominant hand to clean

your teeth, or to do

other everyday tasks, can help

keep your brain keen,’ says

Catharine Jenkins, Senior Nurse

Lecturer at Birmingham

University. Try holding your

computer mouse in your left

hand if you normally use your

right, or brush your hair with your

other hand.

FISH IS FANTASTIC

EPA and DHA, which are

omega-3 fats found in

fish oils, help to maintain

brain cells, so oily fish, such as

mackerel and sardines, should

be eaten at least twice a week.

Or try a supplement. Flaxseed

oil is a good omega-3 source

for vegetarians.

Eat a Mediterranean dietThere are very low rates

of depression and

dementia on the Greek

island of Ikaria, where one in

three locals lives into their

nineties. One of the reasons

could well be the healthy

20

We’re getting back to nature and backing The Wildlife Trusts’

new campaign, My Wild Life

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Research has shown that those of us

who live near and experience green

spaces have a 50 per cent chance

of being more healthy – both

physically and mentally – and are 40

per cent less likely to become overweight

or obese. So there can be little doubt that

getting back to nature is good for us.

That’s just one very good reason to

hours of volunteering time to The Wildlife

Trusts and environmental projects in the past

year, and our member trips include visits to

local reserves. You may also see some of

our colleagues featured in The Wildlife Trusts’

campaign, as they share their stories about

their own ‘Wild Life’!

Sir David Attenborough, The Wildlife

Trusts’ President Emeritus, is one of

hundreds of people taking part across

the UK. Their stories can be found at

mywildlife.org.uk, where you can add your

own story and discover wild places near.

So go to mywildlife.org.uk and:

r Find inspiration – explore stories about

people and nature

r Share your Wild Life – and what nature

means to you. Upload your story online

or use #MyWildLife on Twitter, Facebook

and Instagram

r Make nature part of your life – see

ideas for putting the wild back in your life.

Call of the

support The Wildlife Trusts’ latest campaign,

My Wild Life, which aims to encourage us

all to stop for a minute to reflect on what

wildlife means to us and think about how

to make wildlife part of our everyday lives.

If we do, not only will our wildlife benefit, but

so will we.

The Wildlife Trusts are restoring wildlife

and wild places in towns and cities as well

as in the countryside, and encouraging

people from all walks of life to share their

own personal stories about what nature

means to them.

One of the aims of The Southern

Co-operative’s partnership with The Wildlife

Trusts in Dorset, Sussex, Hampshire and

Isle of Wight is to encourage members,

colleagues and the wider community to

find out more about their local environment;

how they can support wildlife on their

doorsteps and engage more with nature.

Our colleagues have donated over 364

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JOIN SUSSEX

WILDLIFE TRUST AND, AS A TSC MEMBER , YOU’LL RECEIVE

A FREE GIFT. SEE PAGE

2 3

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hiwwt.org.uk

Chris Packham, who is a great supporter of HIWWT, shares his favourite things

with us on page 34

22

Tell us what you think, come and see us out and about, plus enter our competition and support local wildlife for a gorgeous gift

members

This summer we’re out and about

at country shows and food festivals

across Hampshire and Isle of Wight,

inviting visitors to try our Local Flavours range.

Look out for us at these events, where you can

Come try with us

WIN! A GOURMET STAY

IN WINCHESTERWe love local food so we’re celebrating

July’s Hampshire Food Festival with

a tasty competition. For your chance

to win dinner for two at the renowned

Chesil Rectory in Winchester (pictured),

staying overnight with breakfast the

next morning at the nearby historic

Wykeham Arms, plus a hamper

brimming with food and drink from

our Local Flavours range, enter online

at thesouthernco-operative.co.uk

(where you can also see full terms and

conditions) by Sunday, 2 August.

Keep up to dateJoin our members’ Facebook group to keep up to date with our news, what’s on and photos. Search ‘The Southern Co-operative members’ to join the group.

Book early Our members’ trips

and events are fully

booked this summer,

so keep an eye on

the membership page

at thesouthernco-

operative.co.uk

for future dates,

or get hold of the

winter edition of this

magazine, available

free in store

from mid-November.

taste the local food and drink for yourself:

räRoyal Isle of Wight County Show

Saturday, 27 June; riwas.org.uk/county-show

r Hampshire Food Festival 1 July – 2

August (tastings in stores); hampshirefare.co.uk.

See our Winchester foodie competition below.

räTrout ’n About Stockbridge,

Sunday, 9 August; tnastockbridge.co.uk

räRomsey Food Festival

Sunday, 6 September; romseyfoodfest.com

räTaste of Wickham Sunday, 13 September;

wickhamsquare.co.uk/tasteofwickham

räA Thought for Food Local Producers’

Market Saturday, 3 October,

Emsworth British Food Fortnight

(19 Sept – 4 Oct); emsworth.org.uk/events

Try some lovely Local Flavours

23

diary dates

THAT TIME OF YEAR Our 2014/15 Annual

Review is available

free in store. Pick up

a copy to read more about our

development, successes and

challenges from the last year.

Our partner Sussex

Wildlife Trust cares

for over 5,000 acres of

land in East and West Sussex,

helping to protect vulnerable animals, plants and habitats. You

can assist them in this important task by joining as a member.

In return, you’ll enjoy a regular magazine, plus exclusive

membership events.

TSC members who join Sussex Wildlife Trust by 30 November

2015 will also receive a Mark Greco wildlife mug as a special

gift. To join online, visit sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk or call 01273

497532, quoting The Southern Co-operative.

Read about The Wildlife Trusts’ My Wildlife campaign

on page 20.

MAKE THE MOST OF MEMBERSHIP As a co-operative society,

we are owned by our

members, who are at the

heart of everything we do.

As a member, you have a

say in shaping our future,

enabling us to achieve

our goals and continued

business success. You’ll

also receive a share of the

profits, paid annually, and

be invited to join free or

subsidised members’ trips.

These give an interesting

insight into our partners

and suppliers, including

local food producers and

Wildlife Trusts. If you’re not

already a member of The

Southern Co-operative, click

on the membership link at

thesouthernco-operative.

co.uk to join.

A WILD GIFT

Take a look at our website, thesouthernco-operative.co.uk, where you can find out more about your business, including food

stores and post offices, end-of-life services, Co-operative Independent Living and how we’re making a difference to our communities.

Our membership and customer service teams are also available to answer your queries; call 0800 652 0124.

This summer, we’ll be seeking your opinion on how we can improve our communications so that you can be more involved in our business.

While members can currently engage with us through formal forums like our Annual General Meeting (where you can raise motions and questions, vote on who will represent members on the Board of Directors and help decide how much we give back to members and communities), we also want you to engage

with us in more informal ways. In this survey, you can tell us what you think about this magazine, our website, our Facebook group page and our in-store communications. We’ll also be asking you which aspects of our business

you’d like to

know more

about, which communication channels you prefer and how you’d like to be involved in the business. Let us know your views via the online survey on the membership page of thesouthernco-operative.co.uk.

Our first survey, reviewing our community investment strategy, was sent out earlier this year. Over 4,800 people

took part,

and we’d

like to thank them. The

results will feed into our

future strategy for tackling issues most important to our communities and help us to focus our investment and activities accordingly. Following discussions at this year’s AGM (held in June), we’ll be sharing the outcomes in the next edition of this magazine

(published in November).If you’re a TSC member

and would like to contribute to surveys, request this via email to membersupport@southerncoops.co.uk. Please include your name and TSC membership number.

Your opinion counts

Tell us what you thi k about this ma azi , our website a d our i -store commu icatio s

HOW ARE WE DOING?Since January, we’ve been

asking you to give feedback

about your experiences in our

stores via the TellTSC online

survey. And more than 40%

of respondents so far have

told us that they experienced

exceptional service. But we

also need you to tell us when

we don’t get it right. This helps

us to focus on improving your

shopping experience.

If you have a comment to

make, good or bad, please go to

TellTSC.co.uk, with your store

receipt to hand, and complete

the five-minute survey. Just by

taking part, you could win £200

in Co-operative vouchers.

We want to hear

your views

Recipes for success We were sent this photo from a

cookery demo given by home

economist Davina Tibbetts for

guests of Apple Crumble and

Kitsch in Bishop’s Waltham,

Hampshire. Davina made leek

and red pepper tartlets followed

by ginger and clementine

trifle, both recipes from our

last magazine. Our recipe and

Davina’s version are pictured left.

Guests also tucked into cheese,

crackers and chutney from the

Local Flavours range donated by

our Bishop’s Waltham store.

24

We’d love to hear what you have to say, so please get in touch. Send a let ter or email to the addresses on page 3, and see below for joining us online

We’d love to hear from you on

our Facebook page, which is

exclusively for members of

The Southern Co-operative

(TSC) to share news, give

feedback, find out about

upcoming members’ events

and suggest ideas for future

events. Search ‘The Southern

Co-operative members’ to join.

Child support‘We’ve been blown away by TSC

Funeralcare’s support and are

very excited about receiving this

£1,000 donation. The software

it has helped to fund is for safely

keeping records, managing staff

ratios, keeping the accounts and

paying workers. It will save time

so our staff can concentrate on

being with the children rather

than being stuck in the office.’

Selsey Community Nursery’s

volunteer treasurer Rosie Jones

(seated) with children Charlie and

Sophie. Sarah Brand, Funeral

Co-ordinator at our Chichester

Funeralcare branch, presented

TSC’s donation to this new

community nursery in Sussex.

get in touch

‘We’ve absolutely loved it, it’s been Christmas Day for us both today!’This is what Royal Voluntary Service (RVS)

lunch club members Olive Moodie and

Joan Kemp (pictured right with TSC

Chief Executive Mark Smith and Liphook

Store Manager Kayla Mulligan) told us when

they joined around 80 RVS members and

volunteers in Liss and Rowlands Castle,

Hampshire, for a festive roast dinner, donated

by TSC and cooked by colleague volunteers

last December.

Olive and Joan had a cracker of

a day at the RVS lunch club

Super convenient store

‘The new store in Wrecclesham

will make our lives easier. I

spoke to one elderly lady in the

village who was delighted that

she now doesn’t have to wait for

a bus to go into town to shop.’

Sue Williams, Surrey member

What a buzz

‘Thank you for taking us to see

the bees. We learned lots. I

enjoyed dressing up in the big

white suits. At first I was scared,

but then I got to hold the bees

and I wasn’t scared any more.’

Millie Hutchison, 10, with sisters

Megan, 8, and Ava, 7, on a

members’ trip to Bee Island at

Lakeside, Portsmouth

Happy customer

‘I was greeted with a big

smile and offered help with

my packing. I could go to any

supermarket and get a free

coffee, etc, or go to the Co-op

in Sturminster Newton, where I

know I’ll receive good offers and

great service. I prefer the latter.’

Customer at our Sturminster

Newton store, Dorset

Touching gesture

‘Recently I was poorly and the

staff sent me a beautiful get-well

card. A wonderful gesture.’

Customer at our Lee on Solent

store, Hampshire

Q How does a foodbank work?

A lot of the food is donated by the

public who are incredibly generous,

donating 10,280 tonnes of food in

2014. Some 90 per cent of our

donations come via supermarkets.

Many, such as The Co-operative,

have areas to leave donations.

Q How is it decided who should

receive help from a foodbank?

We work closely with local frontline

care professionals: social workers,

teachers, health visitors etc, who

assess a client and refer to us.

Q What are the main reasons

people come to you for support?

While problems with benefits and

sanctions remain the largest

driver, we’ve seen an increase in

people being referred due to low

income. I saw a lady the other

day who was juggling five jobs

but still lived in a constant state

of panic that she wouldn’t be able

to feed her family. Living costs

have gone up over the past eight

years, but wages haven’t. We

don’t just give food. We give

emotional support, a cup of tea

and a chat, and we’ll signpost

other services that can help.

Q How do you raise the money

to fund the service?

We oversee a network of over 400

foodbanks. Each foodbank works

separately, but the Trust gives

advice and support. Around a third

of our funding comes through

business and social enterprise, the

rest through charitable funding and

private donors.

Q Living standards are now said

to be back to pre-recession

levels. Has this had an impact on

the demand for foodbanks?

Yes. Demand varies as the

economy changes. We’re seeing

some green shoots now, but it

takes a long time to trickle through.

When there’s a downturn it affects

people quickly.

Q How long do you typically

support people for?

Most of our clients only come once.

They are given a three-day supply

of food and we quickly get them

plugged into other guidance. A

small number of people come many

times; people wouldn’t be turned

away but referred to other agencies

who could help them.

Q Do you see times of the year

when the use of foodbanks

increases?

Yes, January is often very busy and

recently we’ve seen a spike in

August as people struggle to feed

children in the holidays without the

free school dinners. Some charities

have picked up the slack here;

we’re looking at the possibility of

lunch clubs during this period.

Q What other services do your

foodbanks provide?

Over 90 per cent supply items other

than food, such as toiletries, baby

supplies and white goods, plus debt

and housing welfare advice.

25

Q Would it be useful to also

offer nutritional, medical and

counselling advice to those

using foodbanks?

We work with nutritionists to

prepare our three-day packs of

food. We give menu cards too and

we’re currently piloting an Eat Well,

Spend Less course in 50 locations

– advice on healthy and delicious

food on a tight budget that we’re

hoping to roll out nationwide. Some

of our foodbanks are able to offer

someone to talk to.

Q What are the best types of

foods to donate?

We usually only take dried and

tinned goods because of the

legislation around storing and

dealing with food items. No alcohol,

health pills or out-of-date

anchovies, please!

Q How do you think we can do

away with the need for

foodbanks in the UK?

We have to eradicate hunger and

poverty. Foodbanks are not a

problem. The problem is poverty. If

we eradicate it, we won’t need

foodbanks in the same way, they

will be used just for emergencies.

It’s not possible to abolish crises.

Get involved at trusselltrust.org

OPINION

WE HAVE TO eradicate

hunger and poverty

More than a million people in the UK now rely on

foodbanks, a 15-fold increase in the last four years.

We talk to Anne Danks, a regional manager for

leading foodbank charity Trussell Trust. Their 400-

plus foodbanks are run in partnership with churches

and communities across the UK

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How we’re helping foodbanksAs well as helping

with funding,

volunteering

support and raising

awareness of local

foodbank schemes,

we have food

collection points in

around 40 TSC

stores and funeral

homes. Here, local people can donate food which will support those in

need in their immediate area. In Chichester (West Sussex) for example,

our customers kindly donated 1,725kg of food via our collection points

in the city’s four stores last year, which helped 1,883 people in need.

‘living costs have gone up over the Past eight years but wages haven’t’

26

Did you know? MONTY PYTHOn’s always look on the bright

side of life has replaced my way as top funeral song choice

take control of the most certain event of our lives and to

consider and make those important decisions at a time

that suits you. The Co-operative Funeralcare has funeral

plans that ensure clarity for your end-of-life wishes and

assurance that they will be carried out to the letter. And

because we are all different, each funeral plan can be

as simple or as tailor-made as an individual would like.

A bespoke serviceA Funeral Plan covers all the essentials of a cremation

or burial service. A more personalised plan could

include playing your favourite music (anything from

Beyoncé to Bach), having the cortège pass by

somewhere that’s been special to you (a football club,

workplace or even a much-loved pub), or perhaps

requesting that everyone wear bright colours to a

memorial service. You can be assured that these details

will be recorded for when the time comes. This enables

you to make every aspect of the event unique to you.

We will listen to your ideas and create a bespoke

service around your budget.

Perhaps you’re a biker who wants their last journey

to be in a motorcycle hearse, or maybe you’d prefer

a horse-drawn carriage? You may want a friend to

sing, have a relative read some poetry, or request that

everyone draws a picture to go on your casket. From the

In New Orleans, a jazz band leads a funeral

procession through the streets as mourning

family and friends celebrate the life of the

departed. In Bali, the community comes

together for a ceremony where multiple families

say farewell to loved ones. And in Ghana, it’s

traditional to be buried in a coffin that reflects an

aspect of your life or work – a fisherman will be

laid to rest in a giant fish-shaped coffin.

Around the world, the end of life and the

traditions that surround it are usually a much-

considered process. And however much they

differ from country to country, one thing remains

the same: it’s a celebration of a life lived.

planning aheadSome people may have very definite ideas of what they

want to happen after they die while others don’t give it

much thought. However, having an idea of how you’d

like your life to be celebrated and what kind of burial or

service you’d like – and prearranging it – enables you to

How to say goodbye

The way we choose to do this can be part of a plan. And

The Co-operative Funeralcare is on hand to help, support and advise

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FUNERALCAREFUNERALCARE

MAKE IT ALL ABOUT YOU At The Southern

Co-operative Funeralcare, we offer a prepaid bespoke

Funeral Plan, so you can be assured that every aspect of

your funeral is exactly how you want it. From a VW camper

van or vintage lorry hearse to your favourite song and a

bespoke memorial, we’ll record your wishes.

ARRANGE A FITTING

TRIBUTE Here in the

south, many of us have

a close affinity with

the sea. If you’d like

cremated remains to be

committed to the sea,

we can arrange this

through our association

with the Maritime Volunteer Service.

CREATE A MEMORY that keeps a loved one close. An

urn is still a much-embraced way of keeping someone in

the family home. Now a woodland memorial orb, crafted

from sustainable timber or natural windfall sources from

UK woodland locations, provides a unique and individual

memorial which can be placed within a garden or other

natural setting.

Alternatively, a piece of wearable jewellery or glass

paperweight which incorporates cremated remains

can be created and passed down through the family

as a priceless heirloom.

All kinds of vehicles to suit your wishes

Trust us to…

transport and type of service to the music and memorial

masonry, the event will have your signature on it.

LESSENING THE worryAs well as giving you control over your end-of-life

wishes, having a plan in place is helpful for those left

behind. Prepaid funeral plans also relieve the financial

strain of the event for close family.

And it needn’t be a financial strain

for you, either. Not only are the

plans set at today’s prices, but you

can choose to pay for your funeral

plan by instalments over five years.

Ways to say goodbyeThe Co-operative Funeralcare

provides assurance and care

to both individuals seeking to arrange the very best

celebration of their life and to families wanting to create

a fitting tribute to a loved one. Each of our Funeralcare

branches is well established in local communities and

has a professional team experienced in ensuring every

funeral is a fitting tribute to that life lived. They will listen,

support and guide through important decisions with the

utmost sensitivity and respect.

While two in three funerals that The Co-operative

Funeralcare arranges are quite ‘traditional’, more

people are now opting for a less formal service that

is personalised with their choice of music, words,

photographs (even videos) and flowers. You could

also choose a more ‘humanist’ approach that involves

a non-religious service.

Making decisions on burials or memorials is also

fully and sensitively supported

by our team. For some people

there may be a family plot

in a cemetery, while others

may wish to scatter cremated

remains in a place that holds

special memories. And the

simplicity and tranquillity of

a natural woodland burial is

often a preferred choice in our

environmentally-conscious times.

Of course, for those choosing a traditional burial or

cremation there’s the opportunity to create bespoke

memorials. As well as masonry, slate or wooden

choices, other options include making a piece of

jewellery or creating a glass paperweight using the

cremated remains of loved ones.

TO FIND OUT MORE go to funeralcare.co.uk

Wooden memorial orbs

Celebrating a life New Orleans style

27

Whizz-Kidzwow, what a year!Thanks to your generous support for

the many fundraising activities in our

stores and funeralcare branches, we’ve

raised over £230,000 for our charity

partner Whizz-Kidz in our first year,

to help them continue their vital work

across southern England!

Whizz-Kidz sets disabled children

free to live their lives to the full and

reach their true potential. As well

as providing specialist wheelchairs

and mobility equipment, they

deliver life skills services for young

disabled people to help them gain

the know-how, experiences and

confidence they need for their future.

28

Our communities

You’ve helped us to provide funds to change the lives of young disabled people in our communities for the better.

This year is our charity partner Whizz-Kidz’s 25th birthday – and you can help us celebrate

the difference you’re making Whizz-Kidz Ambassador Clubs are

a place for young disabled people to

meet up, make new friends, try new activities

and have fun! Clubs include music, dance,

art, sports, beauty therapy, games and a

whole lot more. They also raise awareness

of disability issues by running campaigns to

improve the lives of young disabled people.

Our fundraising is enabling 52 young

disabled people to attend their local club,

helping them learn skills to boost confidence

and self-esteem. Last year we funded 12

places for children at the Exeter and Bristol

clubs, and we continue our support this year.

‘When I first joined my local Ambassador

Club, I had no friends and to be honest, I was

embarrassed by my disability. [The club] has

given me a sense of pride, happiness and

acceptance. I’ve made some amazing friends

there and I’m now embracing my abilities,

rather than dwelling on my disability, and I’m

proud of the skills I’ve developed.’

Kayleigh, 18, Bristol Ambassador Club

happy campersJust over £50,000 of our fundraising

has helped Whizz-Kidz deliver their

residential camps. Here, disabled teenagers

can stay away from home without parents or

carers, often for the first time, and learn life

skills to help their transition to independent

adulthood. Social activities include drama,

sports and meeting inspirational role models.

We provided funding for 24 young disabled

people to go to Camp Whizz-Kidz in the

South East (Alton, Hampshire) and South

West (Cheltenham). A further £10,000 of our

fundraising is being used to help Whizz-Kidz

deliver their 2015 Camps programme.

Our Co-operative Independent Living (CIL)

Occupational Therapist, Helen Ukrainec,

joined one camp: ‘We spent time in the

kitchen talking about the practicalities of

cooking meals and making drinks without

help. The group tested some of our CIL

products aimed at making this easier and

we’ve given them a kit to try, which they’ll

be giving us candid feedback about.’

‘I’ve enjoyed being away from

home and making new friends. I

can now handle my own care more,

like getting dressed and tying my

Exeter Ambassador Club

members learn to build a campfire

on a visit to a nature reserve

Our charity

hair up. Moving around and going up hills can

be difficult, but the wheelchair training has

helped.’ Niamh, 15, South East Camp 2014

confidence boosters‘Getting to know new people at

Camp has made me more confident.

I’ll socialise more now, as later in life I’ll have

to go out and speak to more people.’

Toby, 17, South East Camp 2014

We’ve also funded 36 places for disabled

children on Whizz-

Kidz’s Wheelchair Skills

Training schemes in

Kent, Swindon and West

Sussex, with a further

£10,000 going towards

upcoming schemes

across the south in 2015.

vital skillsSadly, young disabled people are 66

per cent more likely to be out of full-

time education, training or employment than

their non-disabled peers. Whizz-Kidz provides

work placements and work skills training to

help improve their employment chances.

£10,000 of the funds we have raised so

far will help to provide vital opportunities

for young disabled people. We are also

fundraising to enable Whizz-Kidz to provide

life-changing wheelchairs and mobility

equipment. We are funding Whizz-Kidz’s

experts, too, who work closely with families

to assess their child’s needs and identify the

right equipment for them. Just £20 funds a

one-hour assessment by

a Whizz-Kidz therapist. To

date, we have contributed

£10,000, enough to enable

the Mobility Therapist

team to do 100 initial

assessments with families,

as well as conducting 100

equipment handovers,

where a disabled child has their final fitting in

the new equipment before taking home their

life-changing wheelchair.

Negotiating different surfaces and

small steps is all part of the

wheelchair skills training

2015 is Whizz-Kidz’s 25th birthday To help them celebrate, take up the £25 Challenge! Visit

whizz-kidz.org.uk/25poundchallenge to download your

pack of 25 easy ideas to raise £25. Or text KIDZ25 £5 to 70070 to

donate £5* today and help Whizz-Kidz provide mobility equipment,

support and life skills for young disabled people.

*If you wish to donate an amount other than £5, text KIDZ25, followed by

the amount you wish to donate, to 70070. Donations of £1, £2, £3, £4, £5

and £10 only can be accepted via text. For all other amounts, please visit

whizz-kidz.org.uk to donate online.

whizz-kidz provides placements and work skills training to help improve young disabled people’s employment chances

Caring over coffee We are helping those who have been

bereaved with some regular support

Free monthly ‘coffee, care and cake’

groups have been set up in Westbury

(Wiltshire), Farnborough and Portsmouth

(Hampshire), Hove, Uckfield and Clayton

Wood (Sussex) and Lake (Isle of Wight)

to offer individuals who have been

bereaved the opportunity to meet others

in a friendly setting.

Bereavement Centre Manager and

Counsellor Ingrid McAllister-Derry says:

‘Bereavement can be a very lonely journey,

even if you have people all around you.

Not everyone wants a support group or to

go out and about when they’re grieving the

loss of a loved one, so we’ve introduced

our coffee, care and cake group. The

group is deliberately informal; it brings

people together who are in a similar

situation and who understand what you

may also be going through. It is intended

to be relaxed and comfortable but with

the opportunity to talk to a counsellor over

coffee and cake, or arrange a separate

counselling appointment if this would

help. Joining the group can be the first

step to socialising again but in a safe and

unthreatening way.’

The groups are open to everyone

in the community and are free to

attend. To come along or to find out

more, call 07834 449069 or email

info@thebereavementcentre.co.uk.

The Bereavement Centre offers free

individual and group counselling as well

as educational workshops as part of

TSC’s support for communities across

southern England.

From left: Bereavement Centre counsellors

Janet Quintavalle, Ingrid McAllister-Derry

and Gary Orchard

Our community

Please get involved in our partnership this year

and help us transform more young disabled

people’s lives. Visit whizz-kidz.org.uk or look

out for fundraising at your local TSC store.

Fancy joining a book club or sharing

gardening tips with some fellow green-

fingered growers? Then get online.

Far from signalling the death of the

community, the internet can offer countless

ways of getting involved. And, as well as

being a tool to meet people, the internet can

also help you find out about your community.

30

With social networking sites such as

streetlife.com operating in close to 4,000

communities and boasting more than

600,000 users across Britain, it’s a great

way to get to know people you may not

otherwise meet or talk to.

The website is the brainchild of Matt

Boyes, who set it up after moving to a new

flat and getting burgled. He wanted to warn

his neighbours and check whether they

might have seen anything, and felt a local

website would help. His idea was a hit and

the site was officially launched in 2011.

‘Our users tend to be a different

demographic to those on Facebook and

Twitter,’ says Streetlife spokesman, Joe

Cockerline. ‘They’re usually settled and want

to get involved in their area. They range

from young families to “silver surfers” fighting

social isolation. Some may have recently

lost their partner and feel so at ease on the

site that they can admit they’re stuck in the

house and ask if anyone fancies going for a

coffee. This type of post usually gets a great

response. People have also set up book

groups and other clubs through the site and

have united in community campaigns.’

To get involved with Streetlife, all you

need is a valid email address, and once

you’ve typed in your postcode, you’ll

automatically be connected with people

and conversations in your area. You can

post pictures and chat about local issues,

recommend or find tradespeople or join a

group. If there isn’t a club that matches your

The internet unites people who otherwise might never have met.

Better still, you can get in touch from your own living room

Let’s get together

social network

particular interest,

then why not set

one up?

Like Streetlife,

meetup.com aims

to bring people

together. It may

have more than

20 million members

globally, but it is

still very much for

local groups, and

most interests are

covered. You can search for Meetups within

a certain radius of your town or city, specify

which categories you’re interested in, or

browse a list of upcoming get-togethers.

The internet can also deliver practical

results, to recycle unwanted belongings,

for example. The website freecycle.org is

a non-profit

movement of

people who

are listing stuff

they need or

want to give

away. Each

local group is

moderated by

volunteers, and

it’s free to sign

up. Once you’ve

joined, you

can browse pre-loved items in your area,

including furniture, or list your own unwanted

belongings.

If you have a specific interest, it’s likely that

you’ll find an online community to help you

connect with others who share it. Since

its launch in 2007, goodreads.com

has become the largest site for book

recommendations. You can post reviews,

join discussion groups, contact authors and

see the books your friends like.

If interior design is your thing, visit houzz.

co.uk. The brainchild of a house-proud

couple in the US, it’s expanded across the

Atlantic and lets users seek inspiration and

link up with interior design professionals.

The site has merged with gardenweb.com,

where users can join discussions with other

gardeners. The Royal Horticultural Society

also runs online gardeners’ community

mygarden.rhs.org.uk.

Whatever your passion, getting busy online

is certain to help your social life bloom.

Stay safe: When online, keeping

personal and financial details secure is

essential. For more tips on staying safe

on the internet, go to getsafeonline.org.

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Facebook Originally set up in 2004 by a Harvard University student to

communicate with fellow students, it’s now home to around a billion profiles all

over the world. Add your own (a relatively straightforward process) and you’re

ready to search and be found. Facebook also features many ‘groups’ within which you

can search and share information and get involved with, if you choose.

Instagram A photo- and video-sharing service with over 300 million users

and a more simplistic approach to communication. Instagrammers post

images and garner followers’ hashtags. These hashtags are key to Instagram’s

success; users literally post a # followed by a keyword that automatically places your

image into groups. So if, for example, you’re a keen knitter and wish to share images,

hashtag ‘knit’, ‘wool’, ‘scarf’, etc, to find fellow knitting enthusiasts.

Twitter If words are more your thing, Twitter is a quick way to share a

thought or opinion – as long as you keep to the 140-character limit. Again

hashtags are key to finding compatible members of its 500-million-plus

audience with the aim of gathering followers and getting re-tweeted, ie, your comments

shared with another member’s followers.

The virtual world – the factsTo get on board with social media, first you’ll have to get online. There are multiple

ways to do that – from desktop computers to laptops, tablets and smartphones.

The advantage of a desktop computer is there’s plenty of screen space to open

several windows and to multi-task. The disadvantage is you’re anchored to a

desk. A laptop offers portability and connectivity wherever you happen to be.

These sites are just the tip of the iceberg. YouTube and

Vimeo are perfect for posting homemade videos, while

Pinterest allows users to share collections of ideas;

LinkedIn is a Facebook for business, while Snapchat allows

you to post photos and videos that disappear once viewed.

Keep up with all that’s going on with The

Southern Co-operative by regularly visiting

our website, thesouthernco-operative.co.uk.

Here you can download copies of The

Co-operative Magazine and our Annual

Review, as well as keeping up to date

with the latest on what’s happening at

our stores and with our volunteering and

community projects. You can also join our

Facebook group via facebook.com/groups/

TheSouthernCoopMembers. This is a

closed group so you’ll need to supply the

administrator with your membership card

number. But once you’ve been accepted,

you can chat with other members and log in

for business and fundraising news, as well

as the details of member trips.

And, of course, the great thing about the

web is that it’s interactive, so if you’ve got

some ideas and suggestions about how

we can improve any of our businesses or

the work we do, then we’d love to hear

from you.

Get online

with us!

The average British household

now owns 7.4 internet devices,

with four out of 10 households

buying a tablet in the last year

MY OWN SPACE I like spending time on my own and having the freedom to do what I want, such as playing my music to a level of ear-splitting destruction! Charlotte and my stepdaughter, Megan, have completely different tastes in music to me, which I really don’t like! I live on my own in the New Forest, so

MY POODLES I call my two poodles, Itchy and Scratchy, my ‘joy grenades’ because watching them makes me happy. I love seeing them run for the sheer joy of it. I always get up early and take them out for an hour’s walk in the woods. They go to smell the world and I go to look

for it. They allow me to bird-watch and even understand that ‘stop’ means they need to stand still because I’ve seen some wildlife I don’t want disturbed. My girlfriend, Charlotte (who is director of the

Isle of Wight Zoo), and I have a mutual understanding that animals come first.

TIDYING I have an obsessive personality and actually enjoy tidying. I like, or need, to have my things – such as clothes and DVDs – in order and in the right place. I am a hoarder but everything is hoarded in order! However, I don’t worry about other people’s space being tidy.

READING While I do read a lot about natural history, my guilty pleasure is reading out of subject. Last thing at night, I spend an hour reading before I go to sleep. I like good fiction, not pulp, as well as history books of all genres – anything from the Battle of Trafalgar to the bubonic plague. Favourite authors include F Scott Fitzgerald, who wrote The Great Gatsby, and Cormac McCarthy, author of The Road. I also enjoyed Susan Vreeland’s Girl in Hyacinth Blue.

MY JOB I am very fortunate to have my career, and I never forget that. My job allows me to concentrate on my principal interest in understanding life, and to communicate my passion. I’ve had all sorts of jobs in the past that I didn’t like, which helps me to appreciate how fortunate I am now. My job also fulfils a rather selfish desire to meet people who know more than I do, such as scientists, delve into their knowledge, learn more and ask questions. It’s P

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OT TSC recently supported

the making of the HIWWT’s film, Make a Wild Change, which portrays the Trust’s activities to inspire the next generation of wildlife enthusiasts. You can view the film, which is introduced by Chris Packham, at bit.ly/WildChangeFilm. To

find out more about Sussex, Dorset and

Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife

Trusts, see p20.

my favourite thingsTV presenter and naturalist Chris Packham is a keen supporter of Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife

Trust (HIWWT), one of the three Wildlife Trusts that TSC supports. Here’s what lights up his life...

like having my own private lecturer telling me what I want to know. My job is then to transmit their knowledge to a wider audience, and to inspire them with my own enthusiasm. I don’t do holidays and don’t need to relax; I like working and need to be achieving something.

when I’m doing something mundane like washing up, I love pumping out the music that I really like. Jesus and Mary Chain are my favourite, as well as Sleigh Bells and Honeyblood (below, left).

34

35

The four-star Hampshire Court Hotel in Basingstoke, part of the

award-winning QHotels portfolio, offers first-class spa and health

club facilities, and now you could be in with a chance

of winning a relaxing break for two* with our free prize giveaway.

Our winner and guest will enjoy a two-night luxurious stay in a suite,

which includes complimentary use of gym, pool and steam room, plus:

s¬!¬FULL¬%NGLISH¬BREAKFAST¬EACH¬MORNING

s¬!¬DELICIOUS¬THREE COURSE¬EVENING¬MEAL¬BOTH¬NIGHTS

s¬!¬BOTTLE¬OF¬SPARKLING¬WINE¬TO¬CELEBRATE¬ON¬ARRIVAL�

For hotel information, visit QHotels.co.uk/COOP.

Prize code: HAMPSHIRE

HOW TO ENTER BY POST: Send your name, contact number, address, TSC membership no. and the relevant prize code on a stamped postcard to Giveaways, The Southern Co-operative, 1000 Lakeside, Western Road, Portsmouth, Hants PO6 3FE. ONLINE: Log onto thesouthernco-operative.co.uk/membership to enter, and submit your details. Only one entry per TSC member. Closing date is 21 August 2015.

TERMS & CONDITIONS Prizes are subject to availability. No cash alternatives. Standard terms and conditions for giveaways, offers and competitions that appear in The Co-operative Magazine can be found within thesouthernco-operative.co.uk/membership. The Hampshire Court Hotel T&Cs: *Prize, based on two sharing, valid until 30 November 2015, excluding Bank Holidays and subject to availability. **Offer (based on two adults sharing) valid until 30 November 2015, subject to availability of allocated rooms. A single supplement applies. Dinner based on a £26 per person allocation. Please note charges apply for tennis court hire. For full terms and conditions, please visit QHotels.co.uk/COOP.

Our great summer giveawayUp for grabs – a luxury break, kitchen gadget, recipe books and a pampering beauty treat

Perfect pressure prizeOne pressure cooker up for grabs

Tefal, creator of non-stick

cookware, has

launched a brand

new range of

pressure cookers (tefal.co.uk).

Using steam to infuse ingredients

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textures and intense flavours in a third of

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Prize code: 4%&!,

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Three sets of cookbooks

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The No Time to Cook Book

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plus lots of inspiring ideas and

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Reference (£16.99, DK) by Jill Norman

is an essential companion for every creative

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Weleda sources lemons from organic

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and contains valuable antiseptic and

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Prize code: 7%,%$!

IT’S competition time

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lucky winner, you can still

save 30 per cent** on an

indulgent Pink Fizz spa

break at The Hampshire

Court Hotel with our

reader offer. You’ll pay

from £99 per person for

one night’s superb

accommodation, a light

lunch, a delicious

three-course evening

meal and extensive

breakfast the following

morning, a 60-minute Spa

Ritual or two 30-minute

ESPA treatments, a bottle

of pink fizz, a warming

robe and cosy slippers

and full use of the health

club facilities.

The Hampshire

Court Hotel offers 90

comfortable en-suite

bedrooms, all well

equipped with colour

television with satellite

channels, radio, direct dial

telephone, internet

access, hospitality tray

and hairdryer. The hotel’s

location makes it an ideal

base from which to

explore Hampshire’s many

attractions, including the

magnificent 16th century

The Vyne nearby, with

its extensive country

park, owned by

the National Trust.

For more details,

or to book, call 0845

074 0064, quoting TSC.