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Food and Drink

  • Recipe: Traybake carrot cake

    When Mary Goodsell was a young girl she was astonished that a vegetable could be made into tasty cake! Her traybake version couldn’t be simpler and can be made nearly all year round using British carrots

  • How to make wild garlic and cheddar scones

    This savoury scone recipe from Mary Goodsell works perfectly alongside a bowl of hearty soup, or simply with salty butter and a smear of marmite.

  • Recipe: Rhubarb & Ginger Streusel Cake

    I’ve been planning some tea-time treats and decadent desserts. This easy seasonal rhubarb and ginger cake hits the spot on all accounts, it’s moist, not overly sweet and has a crunchy topping. The perfect crowd pleaser.

  • Chocolate and olive oil banana bread

    This healthy take on the classic banana bread is definitely one to try if you're avoiding refined sugars or want to make a dairy free alternative to the classic!

  • A vegetarian, seasonal recipe for leeks & beans on toast

    It’s easy to get into a rut when it comes to lunchtime choices. This dish by Mary Goodsell is hearty, nutritious, purse friendly, a seasonal superstar and most importantly, quick to make!

  • Very healthy no-bake chewy breakfast bars

    Mary Goodsell believes that healthy food should always taste delicious, and these no-bake chewy date bars are the perfect breakfast or afternoon pick-me-up to ensure you stay full and satisfied throughout the day.

  • 4 Pancake Day recipes you're going to love

    Pancake Day, also known as Shrove Tuesday, is a traditional Christian holiday celebrated the day before Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of 'Lent'.

  • Recipe: Chinese-Style Glazed Pork Belly

    This Sunday (22nd) marks Chinese New Year. So we’re tucking in to a traditional Chinese dish, to celebrate the year of the rabbit!

  • An immune boosting recipe for homemade ginger shots

    Boost your immunity, digestion and get a good dose of antioxidants first thing in the morning with super easy homemade ginger shots by Mary Goodsell. These little shots of goodness can cost a fortune in the supermarkets, but they are really cheap and easy to make at home.

  • Recipe: Easy Chocolate Truffles

    These chocolate truffles are incredibly straight forward to make, and are an impressive dinner party addition, or purse friendly festive gift.


Downtime

  • A basic guide to insurance by Lisa De Silva

    Insurance can safeguard you, your family, and your property against the risk of loss, damage, illness, or death. In return for paying a regular premium, an insurance company will compensate you against any financial loss.

  • 6 ways to improve your golf game in Sussex

    If you have ever stood at the first tee on a golf course you’ll know the familiar polarity that follows. Your first shot can either go dead straight down the fairway and set you up for a great round of golf or, most commonly, it’s shanked into the trees and you know you’re shooting close to 100.

  • How to plan your perfect marriage proposal

    Have you found your soulmate, the person you want to spend the rest of your life with? If you’ve reached the stage in your relationship where things are getting serious, perhaps now is the right time to make it official. But how exactly do you ask someone to marry you?

  • Town spotlight feature: Haywards Heath

    The busy and vibrant town of Haywards Heath in West Sussex is an attractive mix of residential, shopping and business and glorious countryside.

  • 10 Things to do in Sussex this Spring

    With sunnier days and longer daylight hours upon us, you may be looking to plan some fun activities in and around Sussex. Here's our guide to what's on in Sussex in early Spring.

  • It's B Corp Month - here's everything you need to know

    In March every year, B Lab and the global B Corp community join together to celebrate what it means to be a B Corp, build awareness of the movement and educate diverse audiences on the importance of transforming our economic system for the better.

  • 10 Spooky Greats To Watch This Halloween

    With current restrictions in place, it may be more difficult to get out trick and treating with the family this year. So make sure you get on the sofa with the blankets ready to hide behind, and check out these classic shows and films as the haunting hour approaches...

  • BOOK REVIEW: The Cows, by Dawn O’Porter

    Although this book is ostensibly light reading about three women in their thirties, it’s really about the power of social media and the devastating effect one brief clip on YouTube can have on someone’s life.


People

  • In conversation with the team at Peper Harow Socks, Sussex.

    Founded in 2013, Peper Harow is a brand of men’s and women’s luxury cotton socks that are ethically and sustainably made in the UK in Burgess Hill, West Sussex.

  • We speak to an expert about special needs in children

    The number of school pupils in the UK with special educational needs increased to 1.49 million in 2022. Between 2% and 5% of school-aged children have ADHD and nearly 2% are on the autistic spectrum. But there’s still a remarkable lack of awareness about how children with neurodiverse conditions such as ADHD, autism and dyslexia can be supported in mainstream schools. 

  • By women, for women - The Wayfinder Trust

    The WayfinderWoman Trust is an Eastbourne based charity to help guide and support women. This might be with a clear-cut goal or simply to help pinpoint their next move. It could be to help build confidence, to stand up on their own and give them the strength to take that next step. Whatever the need, WayfinderWoman are on hand.

  • International Women's Day 2023: in conversation with Iris De Kan, Easyjet Pilot

    Who do you picture when you think of an airline captain? Something along the lines of Captain Sully I would imagine – male, middle aged and greying. Today I’m speaking to one of only 6% of female pilots in the world, Captain Iris de Kan, who is female, 35 and blond – the antithesis of old Sully over there. 

  • Putting women back on the map - Kate Mosse

    It is always the right moment to bring women’s stories to the forefront, suggested award-winning novelist Kate Mosse as she told me about her new non-fiction work, Warrior Queens & Quiet Revolutionaries, How Women (Also) Built The World.

  • Interview with Jake Messham, Wall Of Death Rider

    Video

    If you're lucky enough to witness a Wall of Death show you'll know the intoxicating mixture of wonder and terror as heart-stopping stunts are performed under your nose. Sara Whatley met with Jake Messham, a star rider and motorcycle trickster.

  • Moving On Up With Jonathan Lea

    It has been a busy and productive twelve months for the Jonathan Lea Network, a fast-growing and far-sighted firm of solicitors based in Sussex, as Peter d’Aguilar recently discovered, in conversation with Jonathan Lea

  • A Journey Into a Magical Mind: Writer and Illustrator Chris Riddell

    We talk to acclaimed children’s author and illustrator Chris Riddell about his inventive imagination, love of the Sussex coast and his eagerness to inspire the next generation of creative youngsters


Homes and Gardens

  • What The Average UK House Price Could Get You In Sussex (And Beyond)

    In the UK right now the average house price is estimated at just over £245,000 (as of February 2021). But that figure obviously varies from region to region. So if you're a first-time buyer or looking to move to pastures new, which areas should you be looking at to get the best value for your money?

  • Rhododendron's are show stopping flowers: here's why

    Most gardens can claim at least one rhododendron resident. Nowadays, they are commonplace plants, ubiquitous even, but rhododendrons are not native to Britain and were once considered exotic.

  • Blooming Times: Fritillary Magic

    Fritillaria meleagris was one commonplace in our countryside, but its natural habitat of damp grasslands has declined to such an extent that wild colonies can now only be found in a few locations around the UK.

  • Be Inspired at Village Bathrooms

    ADVERTISING FEATURE: These days the bathroom has become a place of refuge, wellbeing, indulgence and creativity; as exemplified by Darren and Alison Standing at Village Bathrooms in Uckfield, when Robert Veitch visited the showroom

  • 6 decorating tips to cheaply transform your home

    It is an undeniable truth that homes require occasional renovations. A simple addition of a piece of new furniture or a fresh layer of paint can significantly transform the appearance of an older home in particular. Upgrading the look of your home can be achieved through various methods, such as installing new tiles or a modern bathtub.

  • This is the gardening job you need to do in January

    Some plants pootle along at a snail’s pace, while others grow at dizzying speed. Sweet peas belong in the second category. These fast, fuel-guzzlers are the Formula One of the gardening world, writes Flo Whitaker.

  • Is open-plan living really the best way? Our Editor explores the pros and cons

    Open plan design in our living spaces has long been heralded as the solution to family harmony, but as heating costs rise and families grow and change, Adele Trathan questions whether wall-less really is best

  • Small but perfectly formed: Here's a home we really love

    With a background in interior PR and dog accessory online store, Helen Smith has a keen eye for design and detail. She was living in a six-bedroom country house set in five acres near Burwash, East Sussex, with husband Nick, and children Oscar and Isabella when she turned her attention to finding a town house in nearby Rye.

  • Salvias For Summer And Beyond

    If you’re looking for easygoing, heat-tolerant plants with a long-flowering season, (and who isn’t?) you can do no better than salvias, writes Flo Whitaker


Animals

  • PET OF THE MONTH: Ruby needs a forever home

    Raystede has many dogs that are victims of the pandemic. They have received special training and are now ready for their forever homes. This month we meet Ruby, a 2 year old Lurcher.

  • It's A Dog's Life: March Column

    Still sporting a thick winter overcoat, Teddy contemplates a trip to the doggy salon for some spring cleaning and grooming, as his human interpreter Helen Stockton explains

  • It's a Dog's Life: Other Cultures...

    As Halloween approaches, Teddy has been pondering the influence of other cultures upon our own. Told as ever by ‘Her Indoors’, the chief provider of treats, Helen Stockton

  • Ten Ways to Help Hedgehogs

    To celebrate its 10th birthday, nationwide campaign, Hedgehog Street, is asking members of the public to do 10 things to help hedgehogs throughout 2021. The campaign launched by wildlife charities People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) and the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) aims to encourage people to make their gardens more hedgehog friendly, in order to help stop the ongoing decline of Britain’s favourite mammal.


Hidden County


Health & Wellbeing

  • How to improve your posture and prevent unnecessary back pain

    Improving posture is important for maintaining good overall health and preventing musculoskeletal issues such as back pain, neck pain, and poor circulation. Here are some tips to help you improve your posture:

  • Active Lifestyles: How to Keep Fit and Healthy in Mid Sussex

    Mid Sussex has always been a popular area in which to live. The winning combination of beautiful countryside and easy accessibility creates the perfect conditions for a great quality of life, whether you’re a young professional, a growing family, or a more mature person.

  • Pilates or Yoga - which practise will suit you most?

    Whether you’re just curious about the differences between the two, or are totally clueless on both practises, Yoga instructor & Assistant Editor Mary Goodsell sheds some light and advice on the two styles of exercise.

  • These are things you'll want to know about skincare in 2023

    Less is more. Don’t get conned. It’s a scam. These are the sorts of phrases you will hear Consultant Dermatologist Dr Natalia Spierings saying about the skincare industry. She candidly speaks to Sara Whatley about ageing, menopause, Botox, and ‘Big Skincare’