SYSTEM©Pat Coulter soaks up some festive spirit in brilliant Brighton, in the December 17, 2022 issue of “The People’s Friend”.
Brighton is one of the world’s most cosmopolitan seaside destinations. From Regency dandies to royalty, scooter-riding mods to leather-clad rockers, there’s always been an eclectic mix of people flocking to vibrant, trendy Brighton.
In summertime, sizzling bodies are crammed like sardines on the beach. When we visit with Pat, it’s more “brrr” than bikini, as we’ve come in the depths of winter to experience Brighton in festive mood.
We’ll take a walk along the prom and get our skates on for a visit to the Royal Pavilion ice-rink. What could be better than a mug of hot chocolate in the alpine-style cafe, whilst watching skaters gliding by? The prom and ice-rink are far from being all Brighton has to offer, though.
Find out more about the popular seaside resort in the magazine.
The Nutcracker
Photograph by Bill Cooper.
With music by Tchaikovsky, spectacular choreography and a magical story of friendship and all things Christmas, it’s little wonder “The Nutcracker” is one of the world’s best-loved ballets.
Set on Christmas Eve, “The Nutcracker” tells the story of a young girl called Clara who is given a wooden nutcracker painted to look like a soldier by her mysterious godfather.
As the clock strikes midnight, the nutcracker comes to life and fights a battle against King Rat and his army of mice before transforming into a prince who whisks Clara through a winter wonderland of dancing snowflakes to the Sugar Plum Fairy’s Kingdom of Sweets.
Every Christmas, productions of “The Nutcracker” provide an estimated 40% of annual ticket revenue for many major ballet companies.
Janey Swanson falls under the spell of Birmingham Royal Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” as it enchants audiences this festive season.
Rainbow Trust
Photograph courtesy of Rainbow Trust.
There are few things more challenging for parents than caring for a sick child, especially if that child has a life-limiting or life-threatening condition.
Alongside the emotional toll of caring for an ill child, families often struggle to cope with some of the practicalities. These include caring for other siblings, continuing to work and coping with the day-to-day minutiae of family life.
This is where Rainbow Trust comes in – providing invaluable support to help families in crisis.
With an estimated 86,625 children with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions in England alone, there is a high level of need.
In the magazine, Gillian Harvey learns about how Rainbow Trust is providing invaluable support to families of ill children.
Hair Freezing Contest
Photograph courtesy of Eclipse Hot Springs.
Every winter, the International Hair Freezing Contest is held at Eclipse Nordic Hot Springs in the Yukon whenever the temperature dips below -20 degrees Celsius. In such bitterly cold temperatures, wet hair freezes in minutes.
Andrew Umbrich is General Manager of Eclipse Hot Springs, a popular spa in the Yukon mountains.
A few years ago, spa staff realised that when it was incredibly cold, people relaxing in the pools often had frozen hair. They decided to make the most of this phenomenon and, in 2011, held the first Hair Freezing Contest.
Find out more in the magazine about Andrew’s success in founding one of the world’s wackiest contests, held on the north-western tip of Canada.
The History Of Antarctica
Photograph by Shutterstock.
Antarctica is about the size of America and Mexico put together and represents nearly 10% of Earth’s total land mass, but most world maps show it just as a white mass at the bottom or leave it out altogether.
But Antarctica plays a vital part in our lives and in our future existence.
A new book, “Antarctica: A History In 100 Objects” aims to put the world’s southernmost and least populated continent firmly on the map.
Bill Gibb finds out more in the magazine.
The December 17, 2022 issue is a bumper festive one so we have plenty of other seasonal features and fiction. We have a collection of Christmas recipes. Plus we have a crochet project to make a hat, bag and fingerless mitts set and elsewhere in the magazine you can learn how to craft a bauble wreath.
We hope you enjoy it. Let us know what you think.
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