Competition | Win a UK holiday worth £500 courtesy of Classic Cottages

A luxury self-catering break in the UK could be yours

As the days grow longer and warmer, our minds inevitably turn to holidays, and the memories that will be made. Whether you’re looking for golden sands and turquoise seas or beautiful woodland and tranquillity, Classic Cottages has something to suit all tastes thanks to its exclusive collection of luxury self-catering cottages.

COAST OR COUNTRY?
If your ideal getaway is to escape to the breathtaking British coast, there are plenty of options to call your ‘home from home’, while you explore the rugged coastlines, sandy beaches, charming fishing villages and bracing coastal walks that this country has to offer. Should the restorative nature of a rural retreat be more your cup of tea, then head to the countryside with many properties just a stone’s throw from stunning woodland, wildflower meadows and windswept moors.

ADVENTURE FOR ALL
For the adventurous, there’s also Classic Cottages’ quirky line-up of glamping getaways. With shepherds’ huts, treehouses, safari tents, airstreams and cliff-top cabins to choose from, you’re sure to recharge your batteries while watching the twinkling night sky from your hot tub, or perhaps snuggled around a firepit, toasting marshmallows.

Whatever your dream break, Classic Cottages has something for you. Now, one lucky reader could be a step closer to making it a reality as The Simple Things has a £500 voucher up for grabs. Your only quandary is deciding on just where exactly to visit. For more information and to book online, visit classic.co.uk.

How to enter
To be in with a chance of winning, just click on the button below and answer the following question by 5 May 2021:
Q. What can Classic Cottages offer for adventurous types?

Terms and conditions

This competition closes at 11.59pm on 5 May 2021. One winner will be selected at random from all the correct entries received and notified soon after. The winner cannot transfer the prize or swap for cash. Details of our full terms are on p.127 and online at icebergpress.co.uk/comprules.

Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

Competition | Win a book subscription with Adventurous Ink

You could win a subscription to this outdoorsy book club, plus Simple Things readers all receive one month free when they take out a subscription to Adventurous Ink

Is there anything better than getting stuck into a really good book? If there is, perhaps it’s getting stuck into a really good book out in the fresh air!

Adventurous Ink, the book club for outdoor folk, is curated by it’s founder Tim Frenneaux. Since securing his first foothold in the outdoor industry almost six years ago, Tim has tested a series of business models. Unlike most start-ups however, he wasn’t pivoting in pursuit of profit, he was in search of something more meaningful.

Finally, in 2019, Tim decided to stop selling ‘stuff’ to focus solely on Adventurous Ink.

An Adventurous Ink subscription is a simple way to go beyond your everyday adventures. Tim curates the best in nature, travel and adventure writing, delivering a surprise book each month to inspire adventures and reconnect with the natural world.

March’s issue is the compelling Losing Eden, by Lucy Jones; an impressive and essential read, even concerning at times, which demonstrates just how important our connection with the natural world is.

'Beautifully written, movingly told and meticulously researched ... a convincing plea for a wilder, richer world' Isabella Tree, author of Rewilding.

Simple Things reader discount

To help you discover the wellbeing, meaning and connection that comes from a deep appreciation of our environment, your first month is on Tim. Just visit adventurousink.co.uk and use the code SIMPLEFIRST at checkout.

Win a year’s subscription

And, just for Simple Things readers we have a full year’s subscription, worth £150, to give away, too.

To enter simply click the button below and answer the following question:

What is the name of the book featured in Adventurous Ink’s March issue?

Terms & conditions:
The competition closes at 11.59pm on 19 April 2021. A winner will be chosen at random from all correct entries after this time and notified shortly after. Full terms and conditions are at icebergpress.co.uk/comprules.

Competition | Win a £200 shopping spree at Gudrun Sjödén

Beautiful, thoughtfully produced pieces to bring colour to your wardrobe

With the new season comes new hope and energy – and that’s precisely what Gudrun Sjödén has captured in her Spring 2021 collection. Described as a love letter to nature, it features the rich palette that Gudrun encounters on her outings into the Swedish countryside, including jewel-like blues and greens complemented by spicy reds and yellows, all with her striking patterns and embroidered details, themselves inspired by traditional folk art.

As well as pouring her heart into each collection, creating clothes that will be cherished by several generations for many years to come, Gudrun is mindful to produce pieces that are kind to the planet, too. The company works hard to minimise its carbon footprint in all areas from design to production and freight and it supports its manufacturers to help them become as eco-friendly as possible – such as helping to create an organically certified production line and establishing water recycling systems. In fact, this season’s collection features digital printing, which uses a minimum of water, while still producing beautifully vivid colours. For more information, visit gudrunsjoden.com

We have two prizes of £200 to spend at the online store…

To enter

For your chance to win one of two £200 vouchers to spend in store or online at Gudrun Sjödén, simply click the button below and answer the question: The countryside of which country inspires Gudrun’s lines?

Terms and conditions

This competition closes at 11.59pm on 7 April 2021. Two winners will be selected at random from all the correct entries received and notified soon after. The winner cannot transfer the prize or swap for cash. Details of our full terms are on p.127 and online at icebergpress.co.uk/comprules.

Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

More from our March issue…

Competition | win a stylish shopping spree

Beautiful, thoughtfully produced pieces to bring colour to your wardrobe

With the new season comes new hope and energy – and that’s precisely what Gudrun Sjödén has captured in her Spring 2021 collection. Described as a love letter to nature, it features the rich palette that Gudrun encounters on her outings into the Swedish countryside, including jewel-like blues and greens complemented by spicy reds and yellows, all with her striking patterns and embroidered details, themselves inspired by traditional folk art.

As well as pouring her heart into each collection, creating clothes that will be cherished by several generations for many years to come, Gudrun is mindful to produce pieces that are kind to the planet, too. The company works hard to minimise its carbon footprint in all areas from design to production and freight and it supports its manufacturers to help them become as eco-friendly as possible – such as helping to create an organically certified production line and establishing water recycling systems. In fact, this season’s collection features digital printing, which uses a minimum of water, while still producing beautifully vivid colours. For more information, visit gudrunsjoden.com

We have two prizes of £200 to spend at the online store…

To enter

For your chance to win one of two £200 vouchers to spend in store or online at Gudrun Sjödén, simply click the button below and answer the question: The countryside of which country inspires Gudrun’s lines?

Terms and conditions
This competition closes at 11.59pm on 7 April 2021. Two winners will be selected at random from all the correct entries received and notified soon after. The winner cannot transfer the prize or swap for cash. Details of our full terms are on p.127 and online at icebergpress.co.uk/comprules.

Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

More from our March issue…

Competition | Win a year's worth of self care from The Tonic

Discover the benefits of CBD products and win a selection of them from The Tonic to last a year

The Tonic is a female run CBD enterprise based in beautiful Hebden Bridge, and was born in 2017 of little more than a sincere belief in the unique qualities of CBD and a stubborn, unflinching and growing desire to help others.

Kate Henderson (pictured above) and Michelle Oxley, the Tonic’s founders, are steadfast in their appreciation of what CBD is capable of and produce the best quality organic, genuinely full spectrum CBD out there. They deliver the most personal service with expert consultations conducted over the phone or in their Hebden Bridge shop (the first own-brand CBD shop in the country!).

They’d love you to have the chance to get to know the products, too, so they’ve put together a year’s self-care package, worth almost £600) for one The Simple Things reader to win.

The prize

8% CBD Oil (2x 20ml) (£179.98)

4% Water Soluble CBD (2 x 20ml) (£179.98)

1 of each of their 5 flavours of CBD Tea, with free usable cotton tea bags (£95)

0.5% Muscle Recovery CBD Infused Arnica Massage Oil with Sandalwood, Ginger & Orange (£35)

All 3 of their CBD Bath Bomb scents; Pine, Cinnamon & Orange, Sandalwood, Orange & Ginger, Jasmine, Rose & Ylang Ylang (£45)

2 pots of the Luxurious Face & Body Cream (£54)

A Lime & Lemon Lip Balm (£8)

How to enter

To be in with a chance of winning just click below to enter and answer the question : which UK town is The Tonic based in?

The Tonic has featured in In Style, Yorkshire Post, The Guardian, GQ Magazine, The Daily Telegraph, You Magazine, Pop Bitch and most recently Spectator Life and we have several fans of note including Fearne Cotton, Amanda Bryram, Zephyr Wildman and Professor Green.  

Visit  thetonictribe.com to find out more.

Competition | Win a £300 skincare treat

We’ve teamed up with family-run business Q+A to give you the chance to win a year’s skincare supplies

One of the things we love about Q+A products is that they take the guesswork and mystique out of skincare. Every tube, jar or tub comes clearly labelled with a practical checklist so you know exactly which skin type and skincare concern it benefits. Plus there’s handy info on the active ingredients we all want to learn more about.

Formulated with care and in small batches at its family-run site in Norfolk, Q+A focuses on high-quality natural ingredients that are known to give noticeable results – from ginger root to seaweed peptides. The company is proud, too, to consider its environmental impact at every level.

Recently Q+A has launched its natural beauty range with high-street retailer Holland & Barrett. We think it’s a great match in terms of green beauty. Both Q+A and Holland & Barrett place considerable importance on sustainability, sourcing as much as possible within the UK to create new products that will benefit you as much as the earth. This partnership means you’ll now find Q+A at more than 700 UK Holland & Barrett stores.

To celebrate the launch, Q+A is giving away a year’s worth of skincare to three lucky readers. With the entire range of 13 products to choose from, delivered when you need them straight to your door, this is one not to miss. Awarded in the form of a £300 Q+A voucher, the choice on what you spend it on is yours. Opt for staples such as Holland & Barrett’s bestselling Hyaluronic Acid Facial Serum or Collagen Face Cream, or something new like 100% natural Liquorice Lip Oil.

How to win

For your chance to win one of three £300 Q+A vouchers to spend online at qandaskin.com, enter by clicking on the button below by the closing date of 4 November 2020. and answer the following question:

Q. Where are Q+A’s small batch skincare products made?

Terms and conditions

The competition closes at 11.59pm on 4 November 2020. A winner will be selected at random from the correct entries received and notified soon after. The winner cannot transfer the prize or swap it for cash. The voucher can be used only at qandaskin.com. Details of our full terms are on page 127 of the magazine and online at icebergpress.co.uk/comprules

Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

More from our October issue…

Competition | Win a £1,000 shopping spree at Garden Trading

Treat your home or garden to a new look for autumn courtesy of Garden Trading

Autumn is here, and with the new season the possibility of new adventures. Particularly welcome after such a challenging and unpredictable year. But there have been silver linings to be found – not least an appreciation of the simple things and a quieter pace of life.

Many have realised that genuine contentment stems from spending time with family and those who matter, and to a certain extent from products made with as much function as style – which is at the core of Garden Trading’s ever-evolving collection. Most of us have spent much more time at home than usual these past few months, and the urge to feather our nests has been strong. With this in mind, we’re giving away a £1,000 voucher to spend online, on Garden Trading’s beautiful range of homewares, all carefully designed to create a space you’ll long to spend more time in. But which would you choose?

The new-season kitchen collection includes enamel and ceramic cookware, baking essentials and heatproof glass storage to help you make the most of home cooking and reduce waste. In the living room, autumnal toned cushions and vases complement rattan-framed mirrors designed to reflect natural light and warmth. Garden Trading has also expanded its collection of pots and planters, with styles to suit all spaces, from low-slung bowls to high-hanging potholders. Meanwhile, the new Linear furniture range majors in modernity and versatility, with sleek consoles and side tables in a range of sizes.

For more inspiration, visit gardentrading.co.uk..

How to enter

Just press the button below and answer the following question:

Q. What is the name of the new furniture range from Garden Trading?

Terms and conditions

The competition closes at 11.59pm on 4 November 2020. A winner will be selected at random from the correct entries received and notified soon after. The winner cannot transfer the prize or swap it for cash. Details of our full terms are on page 127 and online at icebergpress.co.uk/comprules.

Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

More ways to love your home…

More from our October issue…

Competition | Write a story to win a Seasalt shopping spree!

Write a 100-word inspirational story for the chance to win a £250 Seasalt gift voucher or one of two runner-up prizes of £100 Seasalt gift vouchers

One thing the last few months have taught us is that there’s no place like home. For clothing brand Seasalt, home is the sea-whipped cliffs and sandy dunes of Cornwall. The same dramatic scenery that inspires its practical, beautiful clothing, has inspired artists and writers for centuries. 

We’d like to hear a story inspired by the place you live or somewhere you love. In a maximum of 100 words, tell us a story about the unique spirit of somewhere that is meaningful to you – it could be a cosy spot in your living room, a wild coastal landscape you long to revisit or a sun-dappled lane with special memories.

The writer who truly whisks us away will see their winning entry in print and receive a £250 Seasalt gift card, while two highly commended entrants will each receive a £100 gift card.

How to enter

For your chance to see your story in print and to win £250 of Seasalt vouchers, press the enter button below and type in or copy and paste your 100-word story. Entry closes at 11.59pm on 22 September 2020.
Rules
1 Entries over 100 words will not be accepted.
2 The closing date is 11.59pm on 22nd September 2020.

Terms and conditions

The prize is as stated and can’t be transferred or swapped for cash. You can find our full terms and conditions on page 127 of the magazine and online at icebergpress.co.uk/comprules

Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

More from our September issue…

Competition | Win organic meat boxes to your door for a year

Win a box of award-winning organic, Soil Association-certified meat to your door every month for a year (worth around £50 per delivery)

Down on the farm in Somerset, The team at Coombe Farm Organic are working hard to deliver their award-winning, Soil Associationcertified meat – delivering great taste, low waste and all delivered to your door in a wide selection of delicious organic meat boxes. Coombe Farm Organic are incredibly proud to rear their award-winning grass-fed beef and lamb, and free-range outdoor pork. They also partner with a small number of other Soil Association certified farmers to produce a wider range of organic meat, including free-range chicken and duck from the Blackdown Hills and Sharpham Park venison.

Contents vary according to season – quick-to-cook cuts for light suppers and alfresco dining in the summer, hearty cuts ideal for casseroles or parkland venison in the winter. All the details are in our August issue. To enter just answer the question below by clicking the Enter button:

Q. Which county is Coombe Farm in?

Terms and conditions: A winner will be selected at random from all correct entries received and notified soon after. The winner cannot transfer the prize or swap it for cash. You’ll find our full terms and conditions on page 129 and online at icebergpress.co.uk/comprules

Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

Closing date: 9 September 2020. 

More from our August issue…

Competition | Win £100 to shop ethically

Win £100 to treat yourself and the planet with Inclusive Trade

Founded in 2017, inclusivetrade.com was created to make ethical shopping easy. You’ll discover products that are stylish, rare and beautiful – but have all been created to have a positive impact. To introduce you to its fantastic makers and one-of-a-kind products, Inclusive Trade is giving away a £100 voucher to one lucky reader. Here are a few ideas on how you could spend it… Paradise Fashion hand-weave beautifully soft cotton scarves in Ethiopia, naturally dyed with the likes of turmeric and coffee grounds – ideal for wearing all year round, meanwhile you can take pleasure wearing the delicate jewellery from Eden, comforted by the knowledge that their innovative programme helps to support girls and women who have been trafficked. And for sporty types, Yogacycled produces uniquely illustrated activewear made from recycled plastics.

WIN PRODUCTS WITH PURPOSE
Inclusive Trade is giving away a £100 voucher for one lucky reader. In addition to one main winner, two lucky runners up will each receive a block-printed tote bag by Aarohan, handmade in India. Closing date 6 December 2019. To enter click the button below and answer the following question:

Q. In what year was Inclusive Trade founded?

Terms and conditions:

A winner will be selected at random from all correct entries received and notified soon after. The voucher is valid for 12 months until 6 May 2021. The voucher applies to products from the following brands only: Seblewongel Gelan, By Karin, Antonio Prahl, Aarohan, B Frog, Eden, Jaspe Maya Moderno, Khit Sun Yin, The Kat & Monocle, Mrs Waller’s Tribe, Muya, Paradise Fashion, Sucremor, Yogacycled. Competition closes 11 June 2020. The winner cannot transfer the prize or swap it for cash. You’ll find our full terms and conditions at icebergpress.co.uk/comprules

More ways to live better…

From our May issue…

Competition | win a pair of barstools

These beautiful stools from Cord Industries would look great in any kitchen

Handmade in Cornwall, these elegant hairpin leg barstools from Cord Industries feature a timeless design that would complement any kitchen counter. Available in a variety of wood options, and with over 200 leg colours to choose from, it’s clear to see why they’re so popular throughout the world. Craftsman David Jones uses timber and solid steel to create robust, made-to-last furniture that stands the test of time.

And now one lucky reader of The Simple Things can win this pair of 65cm-high hairpin-leg barstools, with ash seats and ‘Old English White’ legs, each worth £220.

How to enter

For your chance to win this pair of stunning hairpin-leg barstools, click below and answer the following question by the closing date of 6 May 2020.

Q. How many leg colours do Cord’s hairpin leg barstools come in?

Simple Things reader discount

To enjoy 15% off all purchases, plus free worldwide shipping, visit cordindustries.co.uk and quote KEEPITSIMPLE.

Terms and conditions

This competition closes at 11.59pm on 6 May 2020. The winner will be selected at random from all correct entries received and notified soon after. The winner cannot transfer the prize or swap for cash. Details of our full terms are on page 127 and online at icebergpress.co.uk/comprules

Competition | win tickets to the Handmade Festival

Get hands on at Kirstie Allsop’s crafty event this September

Back for its seventh successful year, Kirstie Allsopp’s The Handmade Festival returns later this year (11-13 September 2020) showcasing all things creative at Evolution London, Battersea Park. More than 300 passionate exhibitors are providing over 150 demonstrations, talks and skills workshops on everything from baking and upcycling to sewing, wellbeing, and even pottery. Plus the Shopping Villages and Artisan Market Place, where you can discover new makers and stock up on gifts and supplies to enjoy at home.

For further information, visit thehandmadefestival.com. Two lucky readers of The Simple Things can win a pair of VIP tickets, worth £95 each. The package includes entry to two skills workshops and a creative talk, lunch, drinks, plus an exclusive Q&A session with the host of the day.

How to enter

For your chance to win one of two pairs of VIP tickets to this year’s Handmade Festival (on your choice of date), click below and answer the following question by the closing date of 6 May 2020.

Q. How many exhibitors will be at the Handmade Festival?

Terms & conditions

The competition closes at 11.59pm on 6 May 2020. A winner will be selected at random from all correct entries received and notified soon after. The winner cannot transfer the prize or swap it for cash. Details of our full terms are on page 127 and online at icebergpress.co.uk/comprules

Competition | Win flowers for a year

Enter our competition with The Secret Gardening Club to win plants worth £400

Spring is a wonderful time to get out into the garden, with seasonal bulbs and blossom bringing plenty of inspiration. Here at The Secret Gardening Club, we’re a little biased, but the fresh air, light exercise and sense of achievement that comes with digging and planting is hard to argue with. The Secret Gardening Club is a great place to start, whether you’re green to gardening or a regular Monty Don.

JOIN THE CLUB

The Secret Gardening Club gives you a round-up of offers every week by email, giving you access to high-quality plants for less. Pick the saving that catches your eye, order your plants and they’ll be delivered to your door. The brainchild of a North Yorkshire-based lavender grower, The Secret Gardening Club came about when the family-run company started discounting their oversupply of plants. Realising that they were onto something, they joined forces with plant nurseries throughout the country to offer promotions on all kinds of species. Today, The Secret Gardening Club now has more than 90,000 members.

TREAT YOUR GARDEN

First, you need a plan: what is it you want to get out of your outdoor space? Perhaps this is the year to create a bee-friendly haven, to go for a complete overhaul with new shrubs, or simply to refresh the beds already in place. The Secret Gardening Club’s wide range of plants will be just the ticket. Its website can help you identify the plants that you need, with an excellent choice of varieties and quality plants guaranteed. For one lucky reader of The Simple Things, the task is made even simpler as there’s a wonderful prize up for grabs. The Secret Gardening Club is giving away a year’s supply of plants, worth £400. To find out more about The Secret Gardening Club, visit secretgardeningclub.co.uk

HOW TO ENTER

The Secret Gardening Club is offering one lucky reader £400 to spend at its website, spaced across the year, ensuring a steady supply of stunning plants. For your chance to win, enter below and answer the following question: How many members does The Secret Gardening Club have?

Terms & conditions: Competition closes at 11.59pm on 8 April 2020. A winner will be selected at random from all correct entries received and notified soon after. The winner cannot transfer the prize or swap it for cash. Details of our full terms are on page 127 of the magazine and online at icebergpress.co.uk/comprules

More from our March issue…

Win | a New Year fresh start bundle

We have two fresh start bundles to give away, courtesy of Garden Trading, to help you get your home shipshape and Bristol fashion

Start a brand new decade by bringing a feeling of calm and clarity to your home. Garden Trading’s new Laundry and Storage Collection harmoniously blends beauty with function, each piece doing its bit to make every utility room and kitchen a clean, orderly haven. After the excess and clutter of Christmas and New Year celebrations, now is the ideal time to give interiors the room to breathe. From stack-and-store utility baskets to hampers and handy boxes designed in crisp, clean linen shades, you’ll soon have a place for everything and everything in its place.

Vertical storage solutions in Lily White painted wood make the most of wall space to create extra hanging and stacking room; giving everything a home, even when you’re mid-chore. And the details have been given careful consideration, too. From refillable glass jars with cork lids for washing powders and haberdashery essentials, to screw-top glass bottles for laundry detergents and washing-up liquids, eco-friendly bamboo lids to traditional rug-beaters… the collection is full of simple, green solutions to help make everyday housework a pleasure.

The prize

Garden Trading has put together two laundry and storage bundles to give away to The Simple Things readers. Each includes: • Melcome Slatted laundry shelf, • 2 Chesil rectangular baskets, •Portland storage hamper, • Portland utensil holder, • Portland utility Basket in Lily White, • Provender Jars (small, medium and large) • Peg Bag in Ink Stripe, • Bottle brush • Washing-up Brush

Discover the full collection at gardentrading.co.uk

How to enter

For your chance to win, click on the button below and answer the following question by the closing date of 12 February 2020:
Q. What is the name of Garden Trading's new utility and kitchen range?

Terms and conditions

Terms & conditions The competition closes at 11.59pm on 12 February 2020. A winner will be selected at random from all correct entries received and notified soon after. The winner cannot transfer the prize or swap it for cash. Details of our full terms are on page 127 of the magazine and online at icebergpress.co.uk/comprules

More from our January issue…

More simple ways to make your home lovelier…

Win | a year of flowers

We’ve teamed up with Scilly Flowers to give you the chance to win flowers delivered to your door every month for the next year. How blooming lovely!

Scented narcissi are one of the traditional crops grown on the Isles of Scilly, 28 miles off the Cornish coast. There, in the small, sheltered fields dotted throughout the islands warmed by the Gulf Stream, the flowers thrive and come into bloom early. At Churchtown Farm on St Martin’s, owners Ben and Zoe Julian and their team pick, pack and post these gorgeous narcissi from October until Easter, come rain, shine or gale-force winds. Then, over the summer months, their attention turns to scented pinks, harvested so their customers can enjoy the colour and perfume of fresh flowers within days of being picked.

We’ve got together with Scilly Flowers to bring a bit of spring to one reader’s door for the whole year.

For more information on how these flowers are grown and harvested, or to place an order, visit scillyflowers.co.uk or call 01720 422169.

How to enter

For your chance to win 12 boxes of scented narcissi (one every month), each containing 40 flowers, click below and answer the following question by the closing date of 12 February 2020:
Q. The Isles of Scilly are how many miles off the Cornish coast?

Terms and conditions

Terms and conditions: The competition closes at 11.59pm on 12 February 2020. A winner will be selected at random from all correct entries received and notified soon after. Flower substitutions may be made depending on availability. The winner cannot transfer the prize or swap it for cash. Details of our full terms are on page 127 and online at icebergpress.co.uk/comprules

More from our January issue…

More beautiful blooms…

Competition | win a foodie hamper from Abel & Cole

A basketful of delicious treats, thoughtfully sourced, to cheer dark evenings

Abel & Cole have been delivering delicious organic food for 30 years now. With award-winning animal welfare credentials, top-rated treats, and plenty of plant-powered options, all the delicious goodies in Abel & Cole’s catalogue taste as good as the eco glow they’ll give you. From moreish pies, pastries and tarts to savoury charcuterie, interesting cheeses and wines and fizzes, you’ll find something to bring a little cheer to any winter evening.

Our favourite part? It’s all wrapped up in recyclable, reusable packaging and dropped to your door by their own cheery drivers. Each delivery is carefully planned to be as efficient and carbon-friendly as possible, always putting the planet first. All of which means you can feel completely happy with what you put on the table, whether you’re enjoying a cosy dinner in for two or are planning to be feeding a crowd.

WIN ONE OF THREE FOODIE HAMPERS

Abel & Cole have put together a foodie hamper to appeal to gourmands, worth £120 each, and we have three to give away. To be in with a chance of winning one just click the button below and answer the following question:

Q: For how long has Abel & Cole been delivering organic food?

Terms and conditions

Entrants must live within an Abel & Cole delivery area – please check your postcode at: abelandcole.co.uk/help/faq. Three prize winners will be picked at random from all valid entries and notified via their entry email address. The winner must claim the prize within three days of notification, after which time an alternative winner will be selected. For full terms and conditions, visit abelandcole.co.uk/terms-conditions. You’ll find Iceberg’s full terms and conditions on page 127 and online at icebergpress.co.uk/comprules Entry closes at 10pm on 27 December 2019.

Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

More festive food to get you in the mood…

More from our December issue…

Competition | Win a baking hamper from Doves Farm

We have four Doves Farm Ancient Grain Baking Hampers to give away

The festive baking season is upon us and this month we’ve teamed up with Doves Farm, the organic flour experts, to give you the chance to win a spectacular hamper packed full of their award-winning organic ancient grain flours.

The prize

We have four hampers, each worth £50, ideal for the avid baker who would like to add delicious flavours to their bakes.  Presented in a beautiful wicker hamper, the prize contains eight packs of Doves Farm organic ancient grain flours - Wholemeal Spelt Flour, White Spelt Flour, Wholemeal Rye Flour, White Rye Flour, KAMUT® Khorasan Flour, Einkorn Flour, Emmer Flour, Buckwheat Flour, Quick Yeast, a bread proving banneton and Doves Farm recipe booklet.

How to enter

To be in with a chance of winning one of the hampers, simply click on the button below and answer the following question:

How many bags of flour are there in the prize?

A. 5.
B. 90.
C. 8.

Browse the full range, plus find hundreds of delicious recipe ideas at dovesfarm.co.uk.

Terms and conditions

Competition closes at 23.59 on 31 December 2019. Four winners will be selected at random from all correct entries received and notified soon after. The prize is as stated, can’t be transferred or swapped for cash. Find our full terms and conditions at icebergpress.co.uk/comprules.

Murder mystery story | The ending

Here it is… the original ending to our murder mystery short story competition…

Back in August we printed (most of) a murder mystery story by crime writer Sophie Hannah and set readers the challenge of finishing it. You can read the winning entry (as well as the beginning of Sophie’s story) in our November issue. But here you can enjoy Sophie’s original, intended, ending. Did you guess who the murderer was?…

If you missed the original story, we’ll be printing it here in full later in the month, or buy the November issue, on sale now.

---

‘Tell me.’ I crouched down beside her.

She stared at the square of words. ‘Edward was right. It is a palindrome, if you lay the five words end to end — ROTASOPERATENETAREPOSATOR. Lily misunderstood. He wasn’t claiming that each word was a palindrome. What a clever magic square! And to be able to make the Paternoster cross, too! It’s really rather marvellous that they found it among the ruins of Pompei.’

‘What does this have to do with Stanley’s death?’

‘All this time, I’ve wondered, Philip: what terrible things might Julia and Lily have said that day that prompted you to threaten them? Odd, isn’t it, for us both to forget? And why would my sisters savage me? I had promised to share everything equally. Lily didn’t even want Father’s money. Why should she accuse you of having gone mad unless…unless you’d reacted to something that never happened?’

‘What do you mean?’ There was a limit to how much Alice could know. She was surely unaware (or she’d have mentioned it) that Stanley had consulted me about making a new will, to make things equal between his daughters. Julia, damn her, had persuaded him that was fairer. And then, if Alice had married me as I’d hoped she would, we’d have been unnecessarily poorer. Unless something were to happen to Stanley before the new will could be made…

‘You reacted with anger to nothing,’ said Alice. ‘I didn’t forget the dreadful things Lily and Julia said; neither did you. They said nothing offensive. You needed that conversation to end: the discussion about palindromes and words that were other words reversed. You were afraid I’d tumble to the truth: that you murdered Father. That, while dying, he managed to turn over that cup of tea — and in doing so, name his murderer. The word cup, upside down, gives us the letters p, u, c. Philip Unwin-Carruthers. As you say, Father wasn’t one for setting puzzles. Your words contained an assumption: that Father turned the cup upside down, not his murderer. How could you have known that unless you were there? Unless you killed him?’

What a fool I’d been, so secure and smug in the assumption that she’d never work it out.

Well, there was only one thing for it — though Alice hadn’t yet got that far in her deductions. She soon would. What choice did I have? I was hardly about to let her leave my room and go straight to the police.

It was a terrible pity. I sincerely loved her. We could have been so happy together.

THE END

More bookish things to enjoy…

More from our November issue…

Competition | Design a Christmas gift tag

See your design printed for all readers of The Simple Things to enjoy

We know it’s only October and generally at The Simple Things we don’t like to even mention Christmas until at least after Bonfire Night. But this year we wanted to invite you to bring a bit of extra joy to the giving process by designing a gift tag for others to use and to share.

We’ll turn our favourite designs into a sheet of actual gift tags in the December issue so everyone can enjoy your handiwork.

How to enter

Download the gift tag template here.

You can print it and draw on it directly, or use a computer to help you design it, or any other creative means that you have at your fingertips.

Email us a PDF or jpeg of your design with your name and phone number to
thesimplethings@iceberg press.co.uk, marked Gift Tag Competition, or post it to The Simple Things, Iceberg Press, Exchange Workspace, 1 Matthews Yard, Off Surrey Street, Croydon, CR0 1UH. You have until 23 October. Good luck!

Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

More projects for a rainy afternoon…

More from our September issue…

Competition | Win a £500 spree at Garden Trading

Enter our competition for the chance to give your home a new look for autumn

September is often a time of fresh starts and resolutions, prompted by the summer coming to an end. As the temperature drops, thoughts turn to indoors – so it’s a good time to make changes to the home, whether it’s introducing new cushions or a throw, or a total storage rethink. This month’s fantastic competition gives you the chance to treat your home with £500 to spend at Garden Trading. Best known for its outdoor furniture, lighting, pots and more, Garden Trading is also a great place for soft furnishings, homeware and indoor furniture. 

Find the full collection at gardentrading.co.uk.

How to enter

SImply press the button below and answer the question to enter the prize draw.

Terms & conditions The competition closes at 11.59pm on 11 October 2019. A winner will be selected at random from all correct entries received and notified soon after. The winner cannot transfer the prize or swap it for cash. Details of our full terms are on page 127 and online at icebergpress.co.uk/comprules.

More from our September issue…

More inspiration for your interiors…