COMMENT: Why the Scots deserve to vote on "Devo Max"

SNP leader and Scotland's
First Minister Alex Salmond

AS a Scot, I have had few occasions to feel pride in my homeland. Oh, there was the time the national side scored against Brazil in the opening match of the 1998 Football World Cup. But it was short-lived; the boys in yellow won 2-1. And my hopes are raised every time Andy Murray lifts a tennis racquet at Wimbledon - only to be dashed in the later rounds.

But there is one morning I recall feeling a surge of national pride. It was September 12, 1997 - the day after the devolution referendum. I woke to news that people in Scotland had voted overwhelmingly in favour of a Scottish Parliament (74.3 per cent to be exact) with a considerable majority (63.5 per cent) also voting for tax-varying powers. In short, the Scots had not only voted for their own parliament, but one with teeth.

Eighteen years earlier, it had all been so different. The 1979 referendum on devolution was a washout that left a nasty taste in the Scottish palate. Although a slim majority (51.6 per cent) voted in favour, the then Labour government ruled that at least 40 per cent of the electorate had to be in favour for the result to hold. In a low turnout, only 32.9 per cent had actually crossed the "Yes" box.

Devolution was dead.

Two things brought it back to life:

Mrs Thatcher and 18 years of Tory rule. People living and working in Scotland felt totally disenfranchised under the UK electoral system. As long as England kept voting Tory, Scotland was destined to be ruled by a party it did not want. The final insult was when Thatcher introduced the Poll Tax into Scotland before England.

In the 1992 General Election, Scotland returned 11 Conservative MPs to Westminster, out of a total of 72. In the 1997 election, the Tories won no seats in Scotland.

You don't need to be a maths whiz to realise that democracy wasn't working.

Writing in The Press recently, political journalist Chris Moncrieff revealed his bafflement at Tony Blair offering the Scots a vote on devolution when he came to power in 1997. "Why?" he asks, when Blair had "always professed to be against the break-up of the United Kingdom".

What Chris forgets is that Labour was part of the push for devolution during the Tory years, through the likes of the broad-church Campaign For A Scottish Assembly.

In recent months, we've seen how grassroots efforts are leading to democratic reform in countries across North Africa, and now Burma.

Although Scotland was never ruled by a military junta, Scots felt like they were in chains, politically.

And just as we have seen in Tunisia, Egypt and now Burma, when enough people want change, it tends to happen.

So Blair, ever the populist, was appealing to a long-held ambition for Scots in offering devolution. He hoped satisfying the Scots' appetite for an assembly might diminish any lingering hunger for independence.

Onlookers may look at the current situation and think, like Chris, that Blair scored an own goal. Not only is the SNP running the Scottish Parliament, its leader, Alex Salmond, is First Minister, and is now sparring with David Cameron over when to hold a new referendum, this time on independence.

So is the break-up of Britain imminent? Probably not - no poll has ever shown that Scots prefer independence over devolution, even after 14 years of home rule.

Which is why Cameron wants the referendum held ASAP and limited to a simple Yes/No vote on independence. He thinks he can win.

Salmond, on the rails, wants more time, to build support, but is also considering introducing a "Devo Max" option on the ballot. This would increase the scope of Scotland's political autonomy but fall short of independence.

Polls suggest "Devo Max" is what the majority of Scots would prefer.

Both Cameron and Salmond need to heed the public mood and put the political aspirations of the Scots above their own partisan goals.

Democracy, after all, is something the Scots have fought long and hard for. They will not take kindly to the return of any political straitjacket.

What makes a great coffee shop?

York's "coffee Tsar"
Sadie Walton

Independent coffee shops in York are going from strength to strength. Here I speak to the city's coffee guru Sadie Walton to find out what’s brewing…

SADIE Walton is a 30 year-old-coffee lover who has turned her daily habit into her nine to five.

As the city’s unofficial coffee Tsar, what Sadie doesn’t know about coffee isn’t worth knowing.

Aged 25, she opened her first café – La Cremeria in High Petergate. Two years later, she sold it and opened the York Coffee Emporium. Today, she runs the business online, offering a “boutique coffee-roasting service” for clients, including many cafés and restaurants in the city. She also trains baristas and is to be one of the judges in the upcoming UK Barista Championships.

We arrange to meet in a café of her choice: Coffee Culture on Goodramgate. It sells some of Sadie’s Java blend as its specialist coffee. Needless to say, this is what she orders. “It’s an Indonesian coffee, characterised by a smoky earthiness,” she explains. “It tends not to be very sweet, but full bodied, rich and smooth.”

I order a cappuccino; it features the house blend, and is one of the best coffees I have ever had. The milk is thick and creamy and seems to ooze into the smooth-tasting coffee rather than just sit on the top like a stiff meringue.

Sadie says the skill of the barista – or coffee maker – is often the secret to a great coffee. And it is here, she says, that the independents can really make their mark.

“In the UK, our baristas are not getting the respect they deserve. In Italy, being a barista is a highly regarded profession. In Australia, a barista can make or break the reputation of a café and a great one is highly sought after.”

Even the best beans in the world can taste bad in the hands of a poorly-trained barista, she adds.

So what’s the key to a great coffee? “They have to grind the beans just right so that the water doesn’t come through too fast – that makes the coffee taste weak,” begins Sadie.

How they steam the milk – or “milk texturising” – is crucial too. “You want a creamy foam with lots of tiny bubbles holding it together.”

Getting the coffee dosage right is vital too. “Independents tend to use smaller cups because they are trying to make coffee in the right manner; people don’t want soup bowls of warm milk.”

Although we are in straitened economic times, the coffee industry is yet to feel the pinch.

“The industry has been called ‘recession proof’ although I don’t like to say that,” says Sadie. “It is seen as an ‘affordable luxury’. If you are cutting back on holidays, you can still have your nice cup of coffee in the morning.”

Sadie has noticed the expansion of independent coffee shops in the city, and believes it is probably now at saturation point.

In taking on the big guns such as Starbucks and Costa, the independents can stand out through quality products and service, says Sadie. They can do things the giants can’t do too, she adds, such as offering a range of speciality blends and roasts – in the way popular pubs sell a range of independent beers and guest ales.

“The coffee industry is easily comparable to the micro-brewing industry. And it’s great for cafés to offer something that little bit different.”

For mums returning to work

Coaching advice on returning to work
from Rachel Martin, left, and Michaela Oldfield

Going back to work after having a baby is never easy. Here, I speak to two women with plenty of good advice...

MICHEALA Oldfield was wracked with guilt every morning when she dropped her toddler at nursery.

After the birth, she had 18 months off with Amelie before returning to full-time work.

“I’d drag my daughter out every morning at 6.30, put her in nursery and not pick her up until 6pm at night. She was away from home almost 12 hours a day. She was perfectly happy; she was fine – but I wasn’t.”

Rachel Martin has a similar story. She gave up work after the birth of her first child, Eleanor, but went back to a part-time post when her second daughter, Elizabeth, was just six months old.

“It was the wrong decision,” says Rachel. “I had not thought it through properly. They were ill all the time and it was really stressful and I wish I’d waited a couple of years.”

But it took making that mistake to lead Rachel into the career she has today – as a business coach who also lectures in the subject.

“I decided to retrain and build my career around the children,” says Rachel.

Micheala made a similar decision, and set up her own business, Green Shoots Coaching.

Now friends, both women are combining their talents in running a series of workshops aimed at women, particularly mothers, considering a return to the workplace.

“We start with the emotional aspects,” says Michaela, whose daughter is now six. “That is what makes us different from other training courses – and that we have experience of it all ourselves.”

Rachel, who wrote her coaching dissertation on women returning to work, adds: “The key thing you find is a lack of confidence. In mums who have been away from the workplace and been at home, one of the key things you hear is “I can’t do this”. What we get them to do is focus on their strengths and their self belief and get them to explore what they want and to say: “yes, I can do this!”

Deciding on your values are central to making the right career decision, believes Rachel.

“I rushed back to work too soon yet my family values were equally as important as my work ones,” she reveals.

For many women, returning to full-time work may not compliment their desire to spend quality time with their children.

In this case, Michaela and Rachel can help women examine their options. Perhaps they could negotiate flexible or part-time working with their employer; retrain to a different job or career, or to give up work all together and become a full-time mum?

Through a series of four weekly workshops – staged at the David Lloyd leisure club, Hull Road, York next month – the coaches plan to cover many aspects of making that decision and, if needs be, managing a return to work.

Included will be guest speakers sharing their warts-and-all stories about managing the work-life balance, as well as a visit from an image consultant.

“Sometimes you feel a little bit dowdy and not the person you used to be,” says Michaela. “So we will have someone come and show how to make the best of yourself for going back to work or attending interviews.”

In the economic climate and with rising unemployment, Rachel said it was more important than ever that women were well prepared for the challenges of getting a job.

The block of four workshops will be held on Thursdays and Saturdays, allowing women to choose the date that suits them best. They will run from 9.30am to 12.30am at the David Lloyd Leisure Centre, starting on Thursday February 23 or Saturday February 25. It costs £149 to attend all four workshops and all bookings before January 31 will receive a free personal coaching session worth £60. To find out more or book a place, contact Michaela on 07847 300 914 or Rachel on 07717 436 674.

Recipe: healthy breakfast pancakes

Blueberry protein pancake

Get the day off to a healthy start with these protein pancakes packed with oats and egg whites


A NEW Year’s resolution was to make sure my nine-year-old daughter was having her five portions of fruit and veg every day.

Sometimes that is harder to achieve than it sounds, particularly when kids seem to love cereal or toast for breakfast, a sarnie for lunch and pasta or pizza for tea.

So I decided to start at the beginning of the day and introduce more variety – and fruit and veg – into her breakfasts.

Simple ideas so far have included mushroom omelette, mushroom and cheese toastie, healthy oat and raisin muffins and porridge with sultanas, cinnamon and grated apple. Fresh fruit smoothies are a hit too.

But the favourite, by far, has been this protein pancake, made with blended oats, egg white, fat-free yoghurt and a great big handful of blueberries.

There is no fat or sugar in the pancake, so I am relaxed about pouring a small capful of maple syrup over the top.

Despite the lack of flour, this puffs up and cooks just like an American pancake, thanks to the baking powder.

We have used raisins rather than blueberries and they work just as well.


Blueberry protein pancakes

This makes one large pancake (cooked in pancake/omelette pan)

I use a small coffee cup (which holds about 75ml) as my measure


Ingredients

1 cup of raw porridge oats

¾ cup of egg whites (about two egg whites from medium eggs)

1 cup fat-free Greek Yogurt (or cottage cheese)

½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp baking powder

few drops of vanilla extract (optional)

1 cup of blueberries or raisins/sultanas (with extra for sprinkling over top if desired)

Drizzle of maple syrup or honey (optional)


Method

Pour all ingredients except fruit into a container and blend until smooth (should be like a pancake batter). Add fruit and stir.

Heat pancake or omelette pan (add a bit of butter for colour or if not using a non-stick pan)

Pour in batter and cook on one side until lots of bubbles appear on the top of the batter and the base firms and turns golden brown.

Flip over using a fish slice and cook until base is golden brown.

Lift onto serving plate, top with more fruit and a drizzle of maple syrup or honey if desired.

Acupuncture - without needles!

Therapist Sylvia Schroer heats up some moxa during
the non-invasive Toyohari acupuncture treatment,
now available in York

AS a needle-phobic, I was never going to submit to acupuncture. I'd rather walk over hot coals than have someone stick needles into me.

So I was intrigued by news that the Japanese therapy, Toyohari a form of acupuncture without needles was now available in York.

Sylvia Schroer has been administering acupuncture for 20 years and for the past ten years has been trained in Toyohari, during which she visited Amsterdam and Japan for tutoring.

“Toyohari is a style of acupuncture from Japan,” says Sylvia. “It has a long tradition of being practised by blind people and because of this there is a strong focus on sense and touch for diagnosis.”

The treatment is newly available at the Gateway To Acupuncture clinic at York Natural Health centre on York Road, Acomb, and I was one of Sylvia's first York clients.

Pipping me to the post was Penny Cole, who suffers from arthritis and had some Toyohari treatment on her ankle. A self-declared sceptic, Penny came out of the session surprisingly complimentary. Normally after sitting still for half an hour or so, Penny said her ankle would feel stiff and weak. But today, she said, it felt okay, adding she was off to take the dog for a walk.

I doubted Sylvia would be able to work any similar magic on me mainly because I felt well and had no health complaints.

But Sylvia said I didn't have to be unwell or in pain to benefit from acupuncture.

The clinic is running detox treatments, designed to give the body a boost.

After checking my medical history, Sylvia asked me to lie on the couch. She placed a blanket over me and immediately I felt relaxed.

She held my two wrists in her hand and took my pulse. This, said Sylvia, was a crucial part in the 'diagnosis' process and helped the therapist pinpoint any 'imbalance' in the person's body that needed corrected.

She immediately picked up an imbalance in my lungs. “In Chinese acupuncture, the lungs are to do with breath and on a mental and emotional level it is about taking things in and letting go,” said Sylvia. “The lungs are also to do with grief.”

She also detected my spleen and kidneys needed some rebalancing and soon got out a thick silver needle (like a darning needle) and laid it carefully on certain points on my arm and ankle.

There was method in the seeming randomness of these selected parts, I later discovered. The points treated by Sylvia lay along meridians which channel the chi (or energy) through the body. By harmonising this flow, you optimise health and well being, says Sylvia.

As part of my detox treatment, Sylvia used moxa (mugwort herb), well established in traditional Chinese and Japanese medicine. Practitioners burn a tiny piece of the herb and apply it to acupuncture points on the patient's skin to improve the flow of energy.

Intrigued, I watch Sylvia light an incense stick, using the red-hot tip to 'light' the moxa which she then applied to my skin in a swift dart action. It was over in a nanosecond before she did it again to several other points.

Sylvia said the treatment would not be painful, and true to her word, it wasn't.

But did it work?

Well considering I had no obvious ailment, I can't honestly say I felt any different. I did feel a bit light-headed afterwards, and it was very relaxing (so much so it was a struggle to drag myself back to the office).

Sylvia said: “You can use acupuncture to make you feel clearer and lighter. That's often the first thing people feel clearer and more relaxed. Most have a sense that something is happening to them that is good and their body likes. Very often that is the driver for them to continue treatment.”

Acupuncture is now recognised as a valid treatment for various problems by the mainstream medical establishment.

York GP Andy Field, based at 32 Clifton, supports the clinic and will be acting as a medical contact should patients or practitioners wish to discuss diagnosis or treatments.

Acupuncture, he says, can offer a fruitful approach in treating ailments as diverse as back pain and depression.

“It is in the NICE guidelines for back pain and has some relevance in certain gynaecological conditions and possibly depression,” says Dr Field. “If we were in more positive economic times, I think we would be using it a lot more.”

In recognition of these cash-straitened times, the Gateway To Acupuncture clinic, operates a multi-bed practise. This allows therapists to treat three patients at a time in one large room, with individual beds screened off. This, explains Sylvia, makes the treatment more affordable, at £20 per session. Also, patients who had been referred by their GPs will receive a ten per cent discount.

Sylvia said: “Hopefully this will mean more people can access acupuncture. And if they have a chronic health problem and need a lot of therapy they will be able to afford it.”

Find out more at gatewaytoacupuncture.co.uk or telephone 01904 788411 to book an appointment.

You shall drop a dress size!



Author: Jayne Hildreth

Today's blog is about York counsellor Jayne Hildreth whose new diet book is inspired by fairytales!

DO you step on the scales and wish you could wave a magic wand to make your dream weight appear?

If only life were like a fairytale, then we could ask our fairy godmother or the genie of the lamp to “Abracadabra” away those excess pounds.

Anyone who has successfully dieted will know that no magic potions or spells can beat the bulge and that healthy eating and an active lifestyle are the keys to success.

But sometimes words are easier than deeds.

A resolution in the New Year to ditch chocolate for carrot sticks and nights in front of the telly for Zumba classes can easily come undone when willpower fails.

Jayne Hildreth knows this only too well. She piled on weight during her two pregnancies. She lost two stone but struggled to maintain her weight loss.

“So I started going to the gym and that helped level my weight,” says Jayne, a 46-year-old mum of two, who is also a counsellor and coach.

Working with two other coaching professionals, Jayne has published a book aimed at helping people achieve their weight-loss goals.

Inspired by fairy stories, it is called Who’s Broken My Scales? and even features cartoon pictures of much-loved characters such as Cinderella, Aladdin and Snow White.

“We wanted to get our message across in a fun and light-hearted way,” explains Jayne, who lives in Wigginton and is also a tutor in coaching and counselling at the University of Hull.

Using well-known stories and characters also allowed the authors to weave psychological theory about change into the chapters in an accessible way, she added.

The Frog Prince is the first character to appear in the book and his lesson, says Jayne, is to introduce the psychological stages of change. In the following chapter, Mirror Mirror, the Snow White saga is used to examine issues of identity. In Cinderella, the rags-to-riches tale reminds us of the resources we can use to help us on our quest.

Resourceful: Cinderella

“Cinderella is very resourceful,” begins Jayne. “She never thinks she can go to the ball or marry a prince but she finds ways to do just that.

“We can look at our external resources and ask: ‘who out there can be supportive, and who is not very helpful?’ Is it the friend who tells you that you look OK or the one that invites you to go with her to the gym?”

Aladdin is the perfect vehicle to look at goal setting successfully, insists Jayne. “It is not very helpful to say something general like: ‘I must lose weight’. You have got to be more specific about what you want.”

Through dialogue between Aladdin and the genie, the authors make this point – finishing with the disgruntled genie disappearing back into the lamp with a “Yah boo to you, Sir! Come back when you know what you really wish for!”

The authors also consider the issue of commitment, encouraging readers to get back on the weight-loss bandwagon after a lapse.

“It’s really important people don’t punish themselves and feel bad when they have a lapse. It can be a vicious cycle,” says Jayne.

Finally, although the book is light hearted, it has a serious intent. Jayne understands that for many, many people, being overweight blights their lives. “I’ve worked with people whose self esteem and confidence is very low in relation to their weight.”

Jayne is organising a series of events around the book.

The first is at Brown’s department store on Wednesday, January 18, from 7pm-8.30pm (tickets cost £5 and are available from the Estée Lauder counter at Brown’s or from Jayne via email: enquiries@jaynehildrethconsultingltd.co.uk).

She is also running an introductory workshop at the Park Inn Hotel, North Street, York, on Wednesday, January 25 from 6pm-8pm; tickets £6.

Both men and women are welcome. “Men find it more challenging to access support for many things, not just weight loss,” says Jayne. “So it would be fantastic if we were able to engage men too.”

At the Brown’s event, Jayne will be joined by co-author husband-and-wife team Jan and Graham Dexter.

Each has their own story to share about losing weight, says Jayne. While Jan took up walking, Graham managed to loose weight without a rigorous exercise regime, but enjoys snooker, golf and walking the dog.

He says he managed to lose two stone “effortlessly” – surely an encouragement if ever there was one.

Who’s Broken My Scales, The Weight Management Approach with the Fairytale Ending, by Jan Russell Dexter, Jayne Hildreth and Graham Dexter, from lulu.com (£2.99 for e-book or £5.94 for hard copy) or from Jayne directly: enquiries@jaynehildrethconsultingltd.co.uk

New Year, new career

Fancy making big changes in 2012? Here, two North Yorkshire women who radically changed their careers tell their stories – and business coach Lisa Clifford gives advice on getting that dream job

Angela Spencer

From journalist to sweet shop owner

ANGELA Spencer flicks through a pile of black and white photographs, the big hair and even larger shoulder pads dating them to the 1980s.

“That’s me with Margaret Thatcher,” explains Angela in a thick, West Yorkshire accent.” Me again with Tessa Sanderson. And this one is with the actor Julian Sands. I really fancied him!”

The photographs date from Angela’s days as a reporter. She started on weekly papers, ending up on the Yorkshire Post, where she became the paper’s first female crime correspondent and won awards for covering the Donnygate corruption scandal.

She even worked on Calendar TV news before giving up reporting to work as a freelance writer and raise her two daughters, Hannah, now 21, and Mollie 18.

Today, she’s more concerned about wine gums than gun crime; artisan chocolate instead of A-list celebs. Angela runs Sugar Mouse, possibly the cutest sweet shop in the area.

Nestled on Easingwold’s Chapel Street, just a short stroll from the Market Place, Sugar Mouse opened about 18 months ago, borne out of Angela’s very own “Chocolat fantasy”.

“Although I think I am more Willy Wonka than Juliette Binoche,” chuckles Angela from behind the counter of the looks-good-enough-to-eat shop.

On Saturday mornings and after school, children queue outside to spend their pocket money on an array of colourful confectionery, priced around the 5 to 10p mark.

During her writing career, Angela wrote for the Regional Food Group’s magazine, and interviewed many local manufacturers. Not only did this spur her on to go it alone, it also gave her great contacts to find unusual stock for her shop.

“I’d interview grandmas in their 70s who were making chocolates on their kitchen tables and then selling them to the farm shop at Castle Howard, which made me realise it was never too late to start something new,” says Angela, aged 49.

Although running a sweet shop seems far removed from her previous job breaking award-winning stories, Angela says one could not have happened without the other.

“I have loved every minute of my time as a journalist. You step into all walks of life; from meeting the royals to being with miners’ wives and talking to criminals. It gives you a level of experience of talking to people and being able to make links with everyone.

“From that I have the confidence to talk to all sorts of people who come into the shop.”

Angela says setting up on your own is hard work and means long days, but she wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I feel as if everything I’ve ever done was leading up to this. The time was right to take a life leap.”

Sarah Whittaker

From archaeologist to beautician
SARAH Whittaker used to slap on factor 50 to go to work – and come home with mud in her nails and aching feet.
As an archaeologist, Sarah worked on building sites, literally digging in trenches for hours a day.
“As a little girl I liked playing with dolls but I was always interested in digging holes. I once dug up the neighbour’s cat and kept the bones in my pocket until my mum complained about the smell.”

Sarah, from York, studied archaeology at Bradford University and later did an MA in forensic archaeology, during which she went to the “Body Farm” anthropological research facility in Tennessee in the USA and carried out work on dating cadavers.

Back in Britain, her career came to a halt with the recession. “There was no ground disruption because construction had slowed down, so no need for archaeology,” explains Sarah, now 37.

So two years ago she enrolled at York College on a beauty therapy course, able to secure funding to pay for her fees.

“I wanted to pick something I was interested in, could train quickly and where there was a course nearby,” said Sarah.

Although she was joining school leavers, and Sarah was often older than the tutors, she loved the course. “I was used to writing 15000-word essays and we would be asked to find five different make-up looks to recreate for our homework!”

There was an academic side to the course too, learning about anatomy and physiology, which was interesting too, she added.

“I think because I was older, I was determined to learn,” said Sarah.

Her application meant she finished the course within two years and after a stint working from home has just opened her first salon Lilly Rouge, on 43 York Road, Acomb, above hairdressers Beau & Joli.

Designed in a vintage style, Sarah offers a range of treatments from massage and manicures to facials and waxing. She also specialises in micro-dermabrasion, which is a mechanical way to exfoliate skin. It’s a great way, explains Sarah, to improve the look and feel of your skin because it gets rid of dead-skin cells and boosts their renewal. It can also be used on stretch marks and scars.

Her friends, family, and husband Nick, have all supported her career change.

Sarah says: “My mum loves it because now I can pamper her!”

Lisa Clifford

Career-change tips from York business coach Lisa Clifford

WHEN changing jobs, it is usually because we want to get out of the one we're in. Today, employers are keener than ever to recruit attitude over skill and desire candidates who are ambitious for their company.

DO:

Brainstorm all the things you love about your current role (people interaction, seeing results, friendly people, own space) and write these down.

Often people have a lot of self doubt when they are just about to change roles, so in advance of this, write an exhaustive list of all of your successes, testimonials, complimentary letters and appraisals.

At interview, speak on their agenda; what you can do for them. Always think of how the work you do can increase profitability, it’s not just sales people who can affect profit.

Write a compelling CV: just one page and tailor it to the company you are interested in. Miss out GCSE results and schools, put hobbies which reflect your personality.


DON'T

Don't go for the job you think will impress others.

Don't get hung up over job titles.

Don't think that companies only have jobs for the positions which are being advertised... sometimes they don't know they need you until they recognise the value you can to their business.

Don't only consider the jobs you think are available – decide who you want to work for and approach them in a manner which is congruent with that market place, for example a design agency would potentially look twice at a very create approach from a candidate

Don't allow other people’s limiting beliefs or the fear of disappointment hold you back.

Remember: where there is success there sometimes comes failure, and if you've never failed then you've not tried hard enough.

Lisa Clifford works in York as a business coach and inspirational speaker. Find out more at lisaclifford.co.uk or telephone 07795 634671 or email lisa@lisaclifford.co.uk