EVEN though Spring is around the corner, I'm sure many readers will appreciate the recent focus on energy conservation and efficiency in the national news and, earlier this year, the 'Affordable Warmth For Worcestershire' strategy which was acknowledged as having its origins in Agenda 21.

Added to the wealth of measures referred to in the strategy, aimed at reducing 'fuel poverty' over the next few years, including help and advice with insulation, choice of energy, fuel payments and so on, Malvern Hills Local Agenda 21 thought it might be helpful to flag up some simple and obvious but sometimes forgotten ideas.

Our eating habits now very often mean no breakfast, no winter puddings (or no puddings at all), no seasonal dishes, all of which could go a long way to fuelling us through the day.

Indoor clothes for the winter seem, literally, to be going out of fashion (there's a challenge for the designers) in favour of cranking up the heat and many of us have to make a special effort to fit exercise into our daily lives - the most natural way of helping circulation and keeping warm.

Fortunately, these are all things we can do something about both for ourselves and for those for whom we care and often have fun in the process. This will help to maximize the efforts made by agencies, reducing the use of energy and fuel payments, especially when winter rolls around again.

Lynn Clearwaters, Malvern Hills Local Agenda 21.