is the SEAT Leon FR+ 

What is it? A practical, comfortable five-seater saloon car with a twist. This FR+ trim turns the bog standard Leon – nice enough as it is, don’t get me wrong – into a bullish monster with exceptional performance without breaking the bank.

Who would want one? Any lady or indeed yummy- mummy-who-has-binned-the-mumsy car, who now desires a head tuning car mated with lots of creature comforts and who will appreciate a truly invigorating decent drive after years of being restrained.

The exhilarating thrill: 0-62mph in just 8.2 seconds thanks to this remarkable 2.0 TDI (diesel) engine that will leave a cloud of dust in its wake as it screams out of the school car park. Irresponsible? Yes. Exhilarating? Yes. So perhaps not every day? Elf & safety or more like a gossiping mother who doth protest too much.

Wow factors to make the neighbours go green: starts with the beautifully sculptured bonnet that curves in towards a large air grille to which gorgeous light clusters sit either side. This then drops into the colour coded FR bumper with a lovely honeycomb grille where the fog lights nestle. To profile and the body creases continue upwards in line with the rear privacy glass that sees the rear door handles seamlessly integrated thus looking like a more sporty 3-door car. 18-inch alloy wheels, colour coded door handles and door mirrors that are electrically adjustable and heated are the final touches. Round to the rear is a rear spoiler, another set of lovely light clusters and a unique shaped black FR bumper.

On the other hand… the leather steering wheel with chrome inlays was lovley to look at but freezing to touch meaning it was crying out for heated steering wheel especially as the heated FR sports seats were so hot and toasty.

Where would the sunglasses fit? Not in their own designated sunglasses holder so either the box in front of the gear lever, or the tiny door pockets, or the minuscule glovebox but best, the single cup holder.

Will it take the shopping? Oh yes. A simple box shaped boot design meaning a cool 341 litres os shopping equating to around 10 shopping bags without cracking the eggs.

Helping hands make light work with electric windows, electrically heated door mirrors, tilt and telescopic adjustable leather trimmed FR steering wheel with remotes for the audio and telephone controls, adjustable drivers seat plus a mutli information display.

Creature Comforts to luxuriate in are rain sensing wipers, a super doper easy peesy to hook up the phone to, Bluetooth system with voice control, 6-speaker audio system with CD and MP3 player, push Stop /Start button and automatic climate control.

Its most annoying feature: The radio volume decreases on its own when reverse gear has been selected. Is this in a quest to make us ladies concentrate more on the perils of reversing say when parking? If so, un-necessary as, a) we have been proven to be better car parkers than our men folk and b) it is really annoying when your favourite record is blasting out of the stereo at that precise time.

The quirkiest accessory: has to be on the navigation system, a device that tells you where the nearest petrol station is and another to tell you where the nearest car park is. But that is not all. Once a selection has been made, the guidance starts to safely guide you to that location thereby you do not waste valuable fuel trying to find the petrol station or valuable time so needed for more shopping. Very clever me thought.

Avoiding the costly repair shop is ABS with TCS (Traction Control System) with TCS deactivation if that way inclined to drive unplugged. Then there is XDS (Electronic Differential Lock), ESP with EBA (Emergency Brake Assist). This why you can drive this car to the limits knowing you are not going to get one little scratch on this beautiful car’s paintwork. 

Keeping your precious cargo safe: are driver and front passenger airbags, side airbags and curtain airbags, active front head restraints and rear seat Isofix anchorage points. 

Avoiding it being nicked is a volumetric alarm with back up horn, remote central locking with deadlocks and an electronic engine immobiliser.

Star rating: 4.5/5. As nothing is perfect in this world! Sorry SEAT but you came very close. Tell those Spanish designers that us Brits have colder weather here and to whack on a heated steering wheel. Then full points would have been given.

Consider: Having had a taste of the FR+ engine, one simply wants more -just like a good man so up grade to the Cupra R that is the most powerful road going SEAT yet produced debuting a 265 PS 2.0 litre engine that will take you to heaven  (0-62mph) in a heart stopping 6.2 seconds and has a top speed of 155mph. Yet will not break the bank with a combined fuel economy of 34.9 mpg and CO2 emissions of just 190 g/km.

Web link: http://www.seat.co.uk/

Jackie Violet
Motoring Correspondent 

At a Glance
Test Model: SEAT Leon Fr+ 2.0 TDI CR
RRP: £21,780
Transmission: 6- Speed Manual
0-62mph: 8.2 Seconds
Top speed: 133 mph
Combined Fuel: 55.4 mpg
Insurance Group: 30E
CO2 emissions: 134g/km
VED Band: E £115 first year
Horsepower:  170 hp @ 4200 rpm
Torque: 350 Nm @ 1750-2500 rpm

The jean has been a wardrobe staple internationally for almost one hundred and fifty years, and has yet to ever leave the public eye, or the catalogues of wholesale ladies clothing manufacturers worldwide. The classic blue denim trouser, the ‘blue jean’ has become a cultural icon for America, where it found its roots as the iconic attire for the cowboys of the American west, and in 2005 a reported $15 billion was spent on jeans across the fifty states. The jeans business is a lucrative one and everyone from the tiniest designer to international fashion houses are very much aware of this.

Like all iconic styles such as the pencil skirt or the little black dress, the jean will never go out of vogue. Instead, each season designers give the style a twist, reflecting that season’s hottest trends, and keeping them fresh from year to year. With the blossoming of Spring/ Summer 2012, the jean sees a whole new vocabulary, as designers and ladieswear wholesalers alike experiment with prints new and old for a vivacious ethic or floral vibe.

Hottest of all is a new trend for Summer 2012, the skinny crop. This style requires a lot of confidence; its laid-back continental glamour will compliment ladies with longer legs to perfection, but will be dangerously unforgiving for those without. Bleached and texture jeans have been turning heads too in the collections of ladieswear wholesalers and continental fashion houses alike, combining a print-like detail with a grunge edge.

Last year’s colour trends for spring and summer seem to be staying strong to continue through 2012. Spring and summer are lively seasons, with an unashamed and much needed vivacity following this year’s icy winter. Designers have presented manufacturers and fashion critics alike with a wide range of colours to work with, and though prints may be the flavour of the month, the palette of any summertime is always an exciting one. Heavyweight trend colour-blocking felt a lull over the winter months, but seems to have returned with a vengeance for the summer, as jeans in reds, pinks, greens and violet hues have flooded the catwalks of New York Fashion Week with colour.

Women’s car insurance specialist, Diamond surveyed 2,000 UK motorists on how they personalise their car. It found that 57% have accessorised their car, with floor mats (35%), novelty air fresheners (15%) and humorous window stickers (14%) being the most popular. Only 4% admitted they have fluffy dice hanging from their rear view mirror.

Worryingly seven out of ten drivers with humorous stickers on their rear window, think they obscure their view from their window.

Diamond’s research found one in ten (11%) motorists said they accessorise their car to stand out from the crowd. A similar number (13%) do it to express their personality. But the most popular reason why motorists accessorise their car is to make it more comfortable, one in three (29%) said they do it for this reason.

Diamond managing director, Sian Lewis said, “While only one in ten motorists have added expensive performance enhancing modifications to their car, five times more are choosing to decorate their vehicle with mats, stickers and even fluffy toys.

“When you think how much time we can spend in our cars each week, you can understand why so many of us want to make them more comfortable or individual, but car accessories should never impede the driver’s vision in any way.  If you are going to adorn your rear window with stickers or soft toys, make sure they don’t obscure your view.”

But personalising your car isn’t popular with everyone and for many, adding accessories and novelty items to a car are seen as bad taste. 29% of motorists think it is cheap and tacky to decorate your car in this way.

Whilst more women (59%) than men (54%) adorn their cars with accessories, men spend on average £39 more than women doing so and are more likely to invest in pricier car graphics, wraps and special paint jobs. Women prefer cheaper items such as soft toys, floor mats and window stickers.

The average amount of money motorists spend on personalising their car is £99, but some take it much further. 11% spend over £200 and one in a hundred have spent more than £1,000.

Adding accessories is certainly most popular with younger motorists. 18-24 year olds are the most likely to have personalised their car (66%), Middle aged drivers in the 35-44 and 45-54 age brackets are the least likely to personalise their car (52%).

A car can say a lot about a person’s lifestyle and perhaps even more so if the driver has chosen to jazz it up. Some might choose simple things like a novelty tax disc holders or air fresheners, but others choose to spend a lot more with graphics, tints and wraps. Here comes the sting, if you do have some of the more expensive accessories, it’s always worth checking with your insurer to see if they’ll make a difference to your premium.

I have a few accessories on my car – tasteful ones of course unlike some. If I were Transport Minster I would personally ban all cars with those ridiculous stickers some crazed motorists finds funny and sticks them in the rear window. You know the ones like “Beware, new baby on board” or “ex husband in boot.”  Sorry they are so tacky and oh so not funny and probably dangerous as the car behind creeps up too closely just to read the message then fails to stop in time as that driver has just reached for the bucket in the passenger footwell.

That is one accessory too many.

Jackie Violet
Motoring Correspondent

Females have been trimming, shaping and decorating their most intimate area for many years, the latest craze of ‘bejazzling’ made popular by The Only Way Is Essex star, Amy Childs.

But what about the males?

This quote from Chelsea Handler, Are You There Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea really made us smile…

“The part that wasn’t a jackpot was his baseball mound of red pubic hair that looked like it had literally been attached with a glue gun. I couldn’t believe how much there was, and wondered how he had never heard of scissors, or–more appropriate for that kind of growth–hedge trimmers. I didn’t understand what porn he was watching to not be aware of the trimming that was happening all across the world among his compatriots. I’m not a finicky person when it comes to pubic hair maintenance and I certainly don’t expect men to shave it all off, leaving themselves to look like a hairless cat. That’s even creepier then than seeing what Austin had, which could really only be compared to one thing: A clown in a leg lock.” 

So ladies, we want to know which of the following looks do you prefer your man to wear?

• The natural look
• Nicely trimmed
• Smooth and bald

Come on, time to share!…

New research conducted by Rights of Women and Welsh Women’s Aid has shown that at least 46% of domestic violence victims will not be eligible for legal aid because of the dangerously restrictive forms of evidence that they will be required to produce.

The organisations involved in the research say that this demonstrates that if the Government is to stand by its commitment to ensure that legal aid is retained for domestic violence victims in private family law proceedings, the domestic violence gateway criteria must be widened to better reflect the range of routes that women take to safety and the kind of evidence they might have. This must include evidence from specialist domestic violence organisations, health services and social services.

Welsh Women’s Aid member groups surveyed 324 service users for one week during December 2011 to ascertain what forms of evidence domestic violence survivors might have to corroborate their experience of violence.

The research shows that of the 324 women who are already in receipt of specialist support as a victim of domestic violence:

• 46% would not have any of the evidence that the Government has proposed to require of them and would therefore not be eligible for legal aid to resolve their family law problem.
• 54% would not have any of the evidence that the Government has proposed to require of them if the 12 month time limit for evidence was also applied.
• 19% had no corroborating evidence other than that from a Welsh Women’s Aid member group.
• 99% had reported at least one incident to the police and/or the police had attended an incident involving domestic violence yet only 8.3% would be able to prove that there had been ongoing criminal proceedings in the last twelve months.
• A wide range of statutory and voluntary sector professionals and agencies were reported to have been aware of the domestic violence but under current proposals much of this evidence would not be accepted by the Government.

This cannot be fair surely? Shouldn’t the Government be making changes so that any woman and her family have easier access to Legal Aid at such a time when they really need it?

What do you think?

Of 700 respondents to a recent survey, 60% said that owning a dog can make people more attractive, while 85% think people are more approachable with a hound at their heels.

We all know it’s tough starting a conversation with someone new, but owning a dog can ease the awkwardness. In fact nearly all of those surveyed (over 95%) said they would feel more comfortable speaking to someone they didn’t know, if they had a dog. Of those who gave a reason for this, two thirds said dog owners seem friendlier; they are also perceived as more approachable and trustworthy. So even those owners who don’t find love through their furry friend, are still likely to widen their social circle and meet new people because of them.

Clarissa Baldwin, CEO of Dogs Trust comments: “The results of this research come as no surprise to Dogs Trust, as we hear stories every day of people meeting new friends or a partner through their dog. Put simply, the world is a friendlier place when you have a dog.

“This research shows that not only are dog owners perceived as more approachable and friendly, but that having a dog can make you more attractive. With canine companions making such great ice breakers too, they really are the 21^st century cupid!”

Unsurprisingly, the best canine conversation starter is the cute puppy, but over a third of respondents are also attracted by scruffy mutts. Supposedly ‘cute’ handbag dogs are actually seen by many men as a deterrent. But whether you enlist the help of Rover to find romance or not, you can always rely on him to snuggle with you on the sofa.

Dogs Trust has a network of thousands of volunteer dog walkers across its 17 rehoming centres. Any dog-loving singletons wishing to meet new people might like to consider this as an option; details of their nearest rehoming centres can be found at www.dogstrust.org.uk.

Did your dog help you to win romance? If so, we would love to hear from you…

Breast cancer is now the most common type of cancer in the UK. Improvements in medicine mean that 2 out of 3 women with breast cancer now survive more than 20 years after they have been diagnosed, a huge increase on what that number was forty years ago. One treatment that helps these woman survive is a mastectomy procedure where the breast is removed, taking the tumour with it.  Although a mastectomy can stop the cancer, it can have long lasting effects on women causing them to feel ugly or less feminine. While post mastectomy clothing helps some women feel more comfortable, many surgeons now offer nipple and breast reconstruction surgery to help improve a woman’s body confidence.

Breast reconstruction can be done at the same time as the breast is removed, or it can be done months of years after. Breast reconstruction aims to create a breast that matches a woman’s natural, non affected breast so the breasts look as alike and natural as possible. However, it can never match the breast that was removed.  A surgeon is able to advise whether breast implants should be used or whether tissue can be taken from another area of the body to form the breast. In some cases, nipple reconstruction can be used so the woman’s original nipple can be attached to the new breast. Many women are happy to have this as they feel it makes their breasts look more identical. It also helps to retain some sensitivity in the nipples.

The breast is likely to be painful for some time after breast reconstruction but there are several things that can be done to ease the recovery process. A woman should rest for a week after the operation and take things steady at home. It may take some time before a woman can use her car again as it will take time to be able to make sudden movements and emergency stops without causing pain in the breast area.

Recovering from breast cancer is difficult for every woman but it is definitely not impossible. Once the physical illness has been beaten it can be hard to overcome the psychological issues, but women are now fighting back against breast cancer and with help from an experienced surgeon and the support of friends and family a woman can recover from a mastectomy and get back to her normal life.

The Emerald Isle is the go-to destination for those who look forward to anything from picturesque, peaceful fishing villages to breathtakingly beautiful rugged scenery, and everything else in between that you would come to expect from a true Grecian paradise.

Corfu Town

Corfu Town’s lively cosmopolitan feel, full of rich and diverse European history and culture is considered a fascinating metropolis rather than misconstrued as loud and overbearing. Due to four centuries of Venetian rule, this attractive and vibrant town has a distinct and interesting Italian feel to it, evident by the two Renaissance fortresses protecting the town’s harbour. The town’s Spianada (a delightful green space) boasts a cricket pitch; a lasting hallmark which nods towards the island’s 19^th century British occupation. Like the other Ionian islands, Corfu was never occupied by the Turks, so its centre has a distinct, yet varied, almost non-Greek culture which is as engaging as it is appealing.

Don’t miss: A family day out at Aqualand. It’s an amazing water park which is 75,000 square feet of fun and memories in the making.

Undeveloped inland areas

If you are after a taste of the “real Corfu”, then it would be a mistake not to travel inland to one of the island’s many areas almost completely untouched by tourism. Lefkimmi provides a glimpse into Corfu’s un-manicured, wild, natural beauty; characterised by free-growing lemon trees and olive vines, beautiful wild flowers which bloom in abundance, chickens pecking in yards, old women attentively sweeping steps and men lazing in the sunshine playing draughts and sipping ouzo. Soaking up the effortless, unhurried atmosphere of Lefkimmi is sure to evoke feelings of well-being and wholesomeness, only achievable when one strays far from the madding crowd.

Don’t miss: Visiting one of Lefkimmi’s strikingly- beautiful churches. Both Agioi Theodoroi and Agios Arsenious boast awe-inspiring architecture, and a stroll around either offers a cultured afternoon escape away from the beating sunshine.

Mountainous landscape

A significantly sized proportion of Corfu is mountainous, with a large range in the island’s north east and it’s home to Pantokrator, Corfu’s highest mountain. At 906 metres above sea level, Pantokrator can be gazed at through shaded eyes from most parts of the island. Many of Corfu’s visitors drive or cycle up her winding roads each year, keen to reach the summit. Unfortunately the finishing line itself is rather disappointing; save for a quaint monastery, the awaiting unattractive gaggle of radio masts do nothing for the ambience other than make the air audibly buzz. That said the jaw-droppingly beautiful views of Corfu that greet the triumphant mountaineer are well worth both the trek and the somewhat uninspiring surroundings. If solitude is what you seek, the mountains of Corfu are what you need.

Don’t miss: A trip to Aghios Markos, a pretty, and alluringly isolated, foothill village, lying a few kilometres above Ipsos. Untouched by tourism, an afternoon spent in this wonderfully sleepy village will restore you with peace and harmony thanks to its timeless, almost too-good-to-be-true beauty.

Refinement, peace and tranquillity

There is no denying that there are some parts of Corfu, mostly in the island’s deep south, that year-on-year give rise to alcohol-fuelled bad behaviour, sadly perpetuating Corfu’s somewhat one-dimensional reputation for being less- than-sophisticated. However, by God’s good grace, for every Kavos there exists a Nissaki, and what a blessing this is!

Don’t miss: If you are considering a villa in Corfu, look no further than the Villa Vinita. This sprawling holiday hide-away exudes continental chic, sleeps up to eight and whilst it is elegantly private and sophisticated, it is only a 10 minute walk away from Kassiopi’s shops, bars and tavernas.

Should you choose to visit Corfu this summer, do so with CV Travel and experience Corfu with class and style. CV Travel has over 100 luxury villas mostly on the north east coast of the island, around charming St Stephano and bustling Kassiopi, a region aptly nicknamed ‘Kensington-upon-Sea’ due to its well-heeled smartness.

The Good Shopping Guide provides comparative ethical shopping rankings for over 700 companies and brands, scoring each out of 100. It reports on and ranks the ethical scores of the companies behind hundreds of the world’s biggest brands – with regard to the Environment, Animal Welfare and Human Rights records.

Over 60 different product sectors are covered, everything from Banks to Butter and Washing Machines to Jeans. Each product section gives useful information about the ethical issues to take in to consideration when purchasing that product, and an at-a-glance summary of the overall ethicality scores of different companies and brands. A more in-depth table shows exactly what each company has been involved in, or not – from animal testing through to political donations.

The book is supported by ethical consumers and NGO’s like Christian Aid, Friends of the Earth and the World Development Movement but it’s far from heavy or geeky. In fact, it is very easy to read and will help you make informed decisions on who you want to spend your hard earned money with based on their attitude to our planet.

Good value for money at £14.95.  An ideal present or as a reference book for yourself.

Buy online from www.ethical-company-organisation.org or www.amazon.co.uk

is the Subaru Forrester 2.0i XS

What is it? a full blown all wheel drive off roader with High or Low function for when the going gets tough.

Who would want one? Any rather reserved unassuming lady who likes the outdoors thus warrants an off roader but does not want to rub it in their neighbours faces by showing off as can easily be done in other manufacturers 4×4’s.

The exhilarating thrill: Despite the large dimensions and the heavy weight, a pretty impressive 0-62mph in just 10.6 seconds and a top speed of 114mph. Then there is the sheer ease of transforming this vehicle from a sedate on-road vehicle to storming up the debris off roader via one lever.

Wow factors to make the neighbours go green: this is not a great head turning vehicle but one that kind of blends into the background. That said, the large long squared shaped bonnet would cause a stir along with the large light clusters falling into the colour coded bumper with integrated fog lights. Roof rails shows off its practical nature while the large 18 inch alloy wheels under flared wheel arches shows its “bring it on – I can handle it” side.

On the other hand…The lever to change from High to Low depending on the terrain is positioned to the left of the handbrake so it is mistaken for the handbrake as I found out when I kept pulling that lever up instead of the handbrake. Oops should be a different shape!

Where would the sunglasses fit? Yes they will fit nice and snug in their own sunglasses holder.

Will it take the shopping? Oh most definitely in the accommodating box shaped boot meaning the new dishwater would fit. Secret purchases could be hidden in the deep box under the centre armrest.

Helping hands make light work with automatic lights and wipers, height adjustable steering wheel with remote audio controls, electric windows, electric heated and folding door mirrors, front plus rear fog lights and a Stop/Start button.

Creature Comforts to luxuriate in are heated front seats with an electrically adjustable drivers seat, automatic climate controls, sat nav and voice control telephone operation with the controls on the steering wheel.

Its most annoying feature: is the switch to fold the door mirrors when parked is not illuminated at night and I found myself fumbling around to find it invariably hitting the switches to change the door mirrors positions which I then had to re-adjust the next day.

The quirkiest accessory! Has to be the button in the boot to easily flick down the rear seats for more shopping.

Avoiding the costly repair shop is a sure cert thanks to Subaru Vehicle Dynamics Control, Hill Start Assist, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Emergency Brake Assist (EBA), Front ventilated disc brakes, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) and Self-Levelling rear suspension.

Keeping your precious cargo safe:  are dual front Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) airbags, dual side Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) airbags, front and rear curtain Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) airbags, side impact protection beams, rear child proof door locks, ISOFIX child seat restraint mechanism x 2 in rear, 5 x 3 point seatbelts, active front head restraints, front seatbelts pre-tensioners and height adjustable front seatbelts.

Avoiding it being nicked is like trying to gain entrance to the Olympics without a ticket thanks to shielded deadlocks on all doors, remote central locking, a high security integrated audio, locking wheelnuts, a rolling code ECU immobiliser and just for luck a Thatcham Category 1 perimeter alarm.

Star rating: 4/5 for whilst a really practical off roader it could do with a spattering of aesthetic wow factors – just to annoy the neighbours really.

Consider: The all singing and dancing 2.0 D XS NAVPLUS for a snip over 30K that has all the toys on board as standard thereby, for an extra three grand, is better value for money.

Web link: http://www.subaru.co.uk/

Jackie Violet
Motoring Correspondent

At a Glance

Test Model: Subaru forester 2.0i XS
RRP: £ 27,120
Transmission: 5-Speed Manual
 0-62mph: 10.6 seconds
Top speed: 114 mph
Combined Fuel: 33.6 mpg
CO2 emissions: 198 g/km
Horsepower: 150 ps (110 kW) @ 6000 rpm
Torque: 196 Nm @ 3200 rpm