Features Sneak Peek: January 7, 2023 Issue


SYSTEM © Illustration of Dorchester.

Pat Coulter explores Dorset’s vibrant county town Dorchester through its museums and literary heritage, in the January 7, 2023 issue of “The People’s Friend”.

Join Pat and dog Poppy as they take in the exciting combination of doorstep coastal capers and the historic market town.

If you love museums, you’ll find Dorchester a joy. This compact town offers an incredible diversity of museums to explore, from dinosaurs to Roman remains, our literary past to history from far-flung locations.

There is plenty to see and do here, as you’ll soon find out.

Migrateful

Jess Thompson, founder of Migrateful

Photograph by Fede Rivas.

What could be nicer than being taught how to cook a delicious foreign dish by an expert?

That’s exactly the sort of cookery class charity Migrateful offers.

Lessons are led by struggling refugees who struggle to integrate with society and across paid employment.

Attendees learn how to rustle up amazing offerings like Brighton chef Manal’s muhammara and London chef Tamika’s Jamaican brown stew chicken with rice and peas.

Migrateful is helping to dish up change for refugees from all over the world, one recipe at a time. Ali Henderson finds out more.

Books By Boots

Books By Boots

Photograph courtesy of the Boots Archive.

Boots is famous for many things: its pharmacies, health and beauty products, the swirling logo, books…

If it’s news to you that Boots used to be a book-lovers’ paradise, where shoppers could pick up the latest bestseller along with their prescription, then you’re not alone.

Jesse Boot was the one responsible for transforming the company that his father John founded in 1849 into a hugely successful enterprise. But it was Jesse’s wife, Florence, who created the Boots Booklovers’ Library, which operated from 1899 to 1966.

Holly Crawford learns about an often forgotten chapter in the life of the well-known high street chemist.

RiverWatch

River Vjosa, Albania

Photograph by Shutterstock.

Once the highways of trade and travel, rivers were historically vital routes across the globe.

Most are now used simply for pleasure, and as we became less reliant on them for moving goods, we began to dam or divert them to produce power.

An estimated 1.2 million dams now exist in Europe’s waterways. Whilst they seem to promise “green” energy, they have a profound impact on nature. People have largely stopped using rivers to get around, but nature hasn’t.

Fish and other species are blocked from travelling up and downstream, and bacteria and algae builds up in water that stagnates.

Ulrich Eichelmann, or Ulli, is the CEO of RiverWatch, dedicated to protecting the rivers that are wild from source to sea. Features Ed Alex finds out more.

Elsewhere, we have a collection of delicious recipes to celebrate Veganuary, and a knitting pattern to make a fashionable overtop.

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