WELCOME ISSN 1757-1723
A big thank you to everyone for your continued support and especially for those of you have bought this copy. We do hope you like our Spring/Summer issue... we think it’s our best yet!
Due to demand, Vale Life is now on sale. We’ve put a cover price of £1.95 on each copy. Hopefully this will be affordable for all. We’d like to give something back to the community so a percentage of each sale will go into our Vale Life Better Life fund which you can read more about on page 6. You can find copies in Marks and Spencer (Culverhouse Cross), Waitrose and a number of high quality independent retailers throughout the Vale. To find out more on where you can get your copy, please visit the website at www.valelife.co.uk. Please support your local community and buy your copy while stocks last. This issue is a bit of a fashion fest (I’ve finally got my way by introducing more fashion and beauty related features!). Not forgetting you men out there, we have a fascinating feature on carp fishing to keep a happy balance. From the positive feedback we’ve received, we’re giving you what you want but we don’t intend to rest on our laurels. If there are topics you’d like us to cover, then please email me at jennifer@valelife.co.uk and we’ll do our best to bring them to you. I hope you enjoy this issue. Many thanks, Jennifer Hobbs-Roberts Editor, jennifer@valelife.co.uk VALE LIFE IS WRITTEN, VALE LIFE
IS WRITTEN, DESIGNED
AND PRODUCED IN THE
VALE
AND
IS PROUD TO BE INDEPENDENT
❧ 0845 130 6452
❧ COVER PHOTOGRAPH BY MARTIN PHILLIPS. JEWELLERY COURTESY OF JENNY WREN, COWBRIDGE. MAKEUP BY KAREN HUGHES. MODEL, MADELEINE CUTHEW.
IN THIS ISSUE B ETTER L IFE FUND N EWS FROM AROUND THE VALE WHATEVER THE WEATHER - T HE D EREK B ROCKWAY INTERVIEW W HAT ’ S ON ACROSS THE VALE OF G LAMORGAN B OOKS - REVIEWS FROM G OMER AND S IOP Y F RO H IGH S TREET AND B ROAD S TREET - T HE J EWEL IN B ARRY ’ S C ROWN J ANE H UTT - T HE VALE L IFE INTERVIEW R ESTAURANT R EVIEWS - P LENTY TO GET YOUR TEETH INTO ! F ROM THE C HEF ’ S T ABLE - G EORG F UCHS ’ STRUDEL RECIPE I LLTUD ’ S S ECRET - T HERE ’ S A BUZZ GOING AROUND L LANTWIT M AJOR E ATING OUT ACROSS THE VALE AND BEYOND I N V INO V ERITAS - F ALERNIAN ’ S RECOMMENDED WINES E XPOSURE - P HOTOGRAPHER K ATE B ARNARD L EEKES ,Y OU ’RE H OME - WE TALK TO DAWN L LEWELLYN J ONES A NYTHING G OES - WENDY D ARKE IS OUR D ESIGN I NSPIRATION R OOM FOR L IVING - M IKE M C N ABB INTRODUCES US TO M IELE L IVING AT THE E DGE - WATERFRONT L IVING , B ARRY S TYLE B ROCASTLE - C ONTEMPORARY LIVING FOR THE YOUNG AT H EART D OWN TO E ARTH - WE TALK TO INTERIOR DESIGNER D EBORAH C OX T HE F AIREST OF THE R ARE - F ONMON C ASTLE WELCOMES THE R ARE P LANTS F AIR C ARP L IFE - R ICHARD B ENNEWITH CARPS ON ! C OMPETITIONS - L OTS TO WIN IN THIS ISSUE VALE S TYLE - M ARVELLOUS MAKEOVERS AND GORGEOUS SPRING FASHIONS L OVE B OOTS , L OVE B LUSHBABY ! - J ULI B EYNON AND A- LIST FASHION S UNKISSED ! WE CHECK OUT THE L LANTWIT M AJOR SALON L IFE C OVER - H OW WE CREATED THIS ISSUE ’ S COVER T HE F UTURE ’ S B RIGHT - D R P ETER M URRAY OF J AMES H ULL F ROM L ITTLE A CORNS - N IC M ORGAN OF O AKMASTERS AND HIS GRAND DESIGNS M ANOR FROM H EAVEN - N OTHING CAN PREPARE YOU FOR M ISKIN M ANOR C ELEBRATE WITH U S ! VALE WEDDINGS AT S T D ONATS R OMAN H OLIDAY - WE VISIT THE SPA CITY OF B ATH I NTO THE L IGHT - A SHORT BREAK IN C ORNWALL F ROM A TACAMA TO M ACHU P ICCU - B ERNARD AND M ARION O WEN IN P ERU D IVINE C REATION - C REATION C ONCEPT S ALON , P ENARTH P ENARTH - P ARKS , P IER AND P ROMENADE H AMPTONS AT H OME - WE LOOK AT THE NEW SPRING COLLECTION VALE B USINESS - A ROUND UP OF BUSINESS NEWS IN THE VALE V IRTUAL R EALITY - T HE B USINESS C ENTRE GETS REAL E RGO - WE TALK TO E MMA DEL T ORTO , S OLICITOR N ETWORKING - I T ’ S NOT WHAT YOU KNOW , BUT WHO YOU KNOW P ENARTH P ROMENADE - WESTBOURNE S CHOOL ’ S CHARITY FASHION SHOW S OCIAL L IFE - A VERITABLE WHO ’ S WHO IN THE VALE C ATWALK C OWBRIDGE - T HE C OWBRIDGE F ASHION F ESTIVAL HITS TOWN ! T HE L AST W ORD - S OLICITOR , H ANNAH M AGEE
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VALE L IFE WOULD LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE WHO HAS SUPPORTED US OVER RECENT MONTHS . O UR CONTRIBUTORS , OUR FAMILIES , OUR FRIENDS ( INCLUDING ALL THE NEW ONES WE HAVE MADE ) AND OUR ADVERTISERS - WITHOUT THEM VALE L IFE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE . W E HOPE YOU LIKE WHAT WE ’ VE PRODUCED AND WE ’ LL TRY TO MAKE EACH ISSUE EVEN BETTER THAN THE LAST AND IF YOU HAVE A STORY THAT YOU ’ D LIKE TO SHARE , PLEASE GET IN TOUCH .
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