From farm to fork with Farmer Lou The family jewellers; Hoppers celebrates 45 years in Bourne Curtains, fabrics and soft furnishings from Fiona Swan in Oundle A perfect partridge recipe from The Red Lion at West Deeping Dying Matters, a one stop shop for death, dying and bereavement I S S U E 1 29 | N OV E M B E R 2023
It’s vital to shop local and support independent retailers.
! E E R F
Local Christmas gift guide recommendations
w w w .t h e a c t i ve m a g . c o m
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Residential I Dementia I Nursing and Respite Care
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E DI TO R ’ S L E T T E R Editor and Publisher Mary Bremner mary@theactivemag.com Deputy editor Kate Maxim kate@theactivemag.com Art editor Matt Tarrant Contributors Will Hetherington, Jeremy Smithson-Beswick, Advertisement Sales Director Lisa Chauhan lisa@theactivemag.com Production assistant Gary Curtis Accounts accounts@theactivemag.com Active magazine, Eventus Business Centre, Sunderland Road, Northfield Industrial Estate, Market Deeping, PE6 8FD If you have information about a club then please get in touch by emailing editor@theactivemag.com. If you would like to stock Active magazine please email distribution@theactivemag.com. Active magazine is published monthly 10 times per year. ISSN 2059-8513 Published by Triangle Publishing Ltd
www.theactivemag.com
Disclaimer
Copyright (c) Triangle Publishing Ltd (TPL) 2019. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, or be stored in any retrieval system, of any nature, without prior permission from TPL. Any views or opinions expressed do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of T or its affiliates. Disclaimer of iability. Whilst every e ort has been made to ensure the quality and accuracy of the information contained in this publication at the time of going to press, TPL and its affiliates assume no responsibility as to the accuracy or completeness of and, to the extent permitted by law, shall not be liable for any errors or omissions or any loss, damage or expense incurred by reliance on information or any statement contained in this publication. Advertisers are solely responsible for the content of the advertising material which they submit and for ensuring the material complies with applicable laws. T and its affiliates are are not responsible for any error, omission or inaccuracy in any advertisement and will not be liable for any damages arising from any use of products or services or any action or omissions taken in reliance on information or any statement contained in advertising material. Inclusion of any advertisement is not intended to endorse any view expressed, nor products or services o ered nor the organisations sponsoring the advertisement.
‘It’s vital we support our local independent retailers; they need each and every one of us’ IT’S NOT OFTEN that the three of us get together in person, particularly if it’s not for work, per se. We do so every month on press day and for distribution of the magazine but otherwise it’s mainly FaceTime and WhatsApps as we all work remotely. So we really enjoyed heading to Mallard Point Vineyard in Essendine to help with the grape harvest this month. Andy and Fi had put a call out for help with the harvest and the three of us thought it would be a great experience, and it was. We couldn’t have chosen better weather as it was mid October when we were enjoying yet another autumnal heatwave. And none of us had ever gone grape picking before so it was a first for all of us. The weather was perfect, we were outside in the sunshine and fresh air, we were doing something useful and helping a local business. And picking grapes is very mindful. ou have to be in the moment and concentrate, first of all to make sure you don’t miss any grapes (bacchus grapes are green so blend in well on the vine and most importantly don’t snip a finger o inadvertently whilst using the sharp secateurs. We all really enjoyed it, picking 350kg in just under four hours which should make up to 300 bottles of wine so a morning well spent! I would thoroughly recommend joining Andy and Fi for next year’s harvest; and you get to enjoy a lovely lunch and a glass of wine as well as a bottle to take home with you. We will see you there! We have obviously been doing lots of work on the magazine too this month, particularly Kate and Lisa who have compiled the Christmas gift guide. Yes, I know it’s early to be thinking about Christmas but planning ahead helps spread the cost. And this year, as ever, it’s vital we support our local independent retailers; they need each and every one of us and without our support they won’t survive. And what makes our area so special is the number of independent shops there are. Long may it last, so use them or lose them. Enjoy the issue, there’s lots in it as always. And see you next month. Mary - Editor FIND US ONLINE
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November 2023 / theactivemag.com
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CHARGE AHEAD With the ALL- ELECTRIC MUSTANG MACH E find out more during our August test drive event
With the
ALL- ELECTRIC MUSTANG MACH E Arrange a test drive at your local TC Harrison dealer today
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Drivers will be subject to satisfactory DVLA checks. All test drives are accompanied by a TC Harrison representative and are limited to one customer who must be over 21. Drivers must also have held a full licence for a minimum period of 12 months. Test drives are subject to availability and must be pre-booked in advance. Participants may be required to complete a short experience questionnaire. T.C. Harrison in their absolute discretion reserve the right to decline test drive requests without reason. Model shown is a Mustang Mach E GT, models available for Test Drive may vary. T. C. Harrison Group Limited, Milford House, Mill Street, Bakewell, Derbyshire, DE45 1HH acts as a credit broker in relation to financial products and not a lender. We work with a number of carefully selected credit providers who may be able to offer you finance for your purchase. We are only able to offer finance products from these providers who may reward us for introducing you to them. T. C. Harrison Group Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. FCA Reg. No. 312522
I S S U E 129 / N OV E M B E R 2023
ACTIVE LIFE
Contents
18
18 THE CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE
Shop locally for your presents this year and support independent retailers, it’s vital we do
32 FROM FARM TO FORK
Farmer Lou’s business shows food miles can be kept to a minimum
35 A SPECIAL SKILLSET
Fiona Swan has a lovely shop in Oundle where she sells fabrics and makes curtains and blinds to order
39 THE FAMILY JEWELLERS
Hoppers has been in Bourne for 45 years, we meet Fiona, the fourth generation of her family to run the business
43 DYING MATTERS
Death is the one thing in life you can be certain about, so we need to talk about it
46 WILL’S WALKS
Enjoy some wonderful rolling countryside on this walk
ACTIVE KIDS 51 SCHOOL NEWS
ACTIVE BODY
39
46
32
54 DEAR MEN
It’s okay to go and see your GP
ACTIVE SPORT 56 THE ROUNDUP
Jeremy keeps us up to date with our local sports
November 2023 / theactivemag.com
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ActiveLife The family jewellers; Hoppers of Bourne. The Christmas gift guide; shop local. We visit Fiona Swan in her beautiful shop in Oundle. Dying matters; helping to deal with death, dying and bereavement. A fabulous, seasonal recipe from the Red Lion in West Deeping.
6
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From farm to fork The provenance of food is important and the fewer food miles the better
p32
A
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Unit 21B, Gwash Way, Ryhall Road, Stamford, Lincs PE9 1XP Tel: 01780 654321 Email: sales@classicstamford.co.uk www.classicstamford.co.uk
Be Inspired
Active life
Aid trip to Ukraine PETERBOROUGH CATHEDRAL’S CHIEF operating officer Jan Armitage has recently returned from an aid trip to Ukraine and written a blog about it. She is the first woman to oin the locally organised aid trip carrying medical supplies as part of a convoy of trucks, funded by the cathedral, bringing aid to those in need in Ukraine. www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iUGPdGirho
What’s On!
THE FROST FAIR at Molecey Mill on Stamford Road, West Deeping is the perfect place to start your Christmas shopping and we will be there selling Will’s Walk books as well. The Fair is on November from -8pm and the th and th from 10- . There will be lots of wintery treats, fine art and sculpture as well in the allery in the arden. We will see you there
ENTRIES ARE NOW open for Stamford’s Santa Fun Run which takes place this year on December 10, starting at 11am in front of urghley House. Now in its 16th year, the Stamford Santa Fun Run promises something di erent for this year’s participants - including a new route with options for little (or tired legs. The event is expected to again sell all 1, 00 available places, and people are encouraged to enter early to avoid disappointment. They can do this as individuals, with family or friends, or in teams at www.stamfordsantafunrun.com
November 2023 / theactivemag.com
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MANGO & THE MOON
Now at Ellique Ellique Aesthetics offering Laser Hair Removal
Exciting news Tonerre Hairdressers will be moving into Ellique from 1st November
Happiness for the home. 55 South Street, Oakham, Rutland LE15 6BG Tel: 07561 852066 www.elliquebeauty.co.uk elliquebeautyoakham
Ellique Beauty
Made to measure curtains and blinds. Curtain poles and tracks, lighting, seating, rugs & accessories Extensive fabric library, including many of your favourite brands. Latest autumn, winter collections from Harlequin, Prestigous, Ian Mankin, Voyage, Clarke & Clarke + many more From mid November, in our neighbouring shop, we will be offering a stunning collection of hand made, made to order, sofas and armchairs by ARTISTIC UPHOLSTERY www.fionaswancurtainsandblinds.co.uk fiona.swan@aol.co.uk
07779 713073
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Visit our happy little emporium of delight, jam-packed with beautiful and unique homeware, art and gifts for all. Lovingly created by small, local businesses.
Follow us on @mangoandthemoonliving www.mangoandthemoon.co.uk
Active life PETERBOROUGH CATHEDRAL’S ANNUAL craft and gift market takes place this year on November 17 and 18. Enjoy atmospheric Christmas shopping with over 100 stalls within the cathedral. Tickets are £3 on the door or £2.20 if booked in advance. www.peterborough-cathedral.org.uk
THE WINTER FESTIVAL will be running at Ferry Meadows throughout December up to Christmas Eve. Enjoy a stroll through beautifully lit woodland, enjoy performing art with lots of magic moments before enjoying the much loved classic Christmas film, The Snowman. And, of course, there are fairground rides, festive food and drink and a pop up shop to enjoy as well. Tickets cost £9.50 and sessions start at 4pm, 5.30 and 7pm. www.nene-park.org.uk/winter-festival RUTLAND SPIRITUAL SOCIETY meets on the second and fourth Thursday of each month at the Quaker Meeting House in Oakham. There is a lucky ticket table for just £1 per ticket and all are welcome. There is no need to book and doors open shortly after 7pm for a prompt start at 7.30pm. Development Circles are held in six week blocks, please ask at any meeting. Contact Alison via WhatsApp on: 07557 226759. TICKETS ARE NOW on sale for the biggest party of the summer. Classic Ibiza, an open air celebration of joyful House music designed for all ages, returns to Burghley House on Saturday 27 July 202 and tickets are now available. And remember they always sell out so don’t delay. www.classicibiza.co.uk/burghley
NENE NURSERY WHICH is now open has been created by Nene ark Trust sta and volunteers as part of the Trust’s five-year ‘ our Community reenspace’ pro ect. The site of the old woodyard on the edge of Ferry Meadows has been transformed into a fully-equipped community nursery. The aim is that the nursery will be an accessible place of security and calm where users can come and learn more about gardening and are surrounded by plants, flowers, smells and sounds, to promote learning and relaxation. The nursery can also be used as a bookable private space for gardening clubs, social or corporate groups, who just want to come and enjoy this peaceful space. nenenursery@neneparktrust.org.uk LEICESTER, LEICESTERSHIRE AND Rutland Mind (LLR Mind) are hosting their first Mental lf fun run in Victoria ark in eicester on Sunday, December. Suitable for all ages and abilities, you can run, walk or dance your way around the park course, it’s all about having fun together and raising funds and awareness for better mental health. If you are a local business who’s interested in supporting LLR Mind and mental health, please contact them at info@ llrmind.org And follow this link to enter the fun run bit.ly/3Z9AQCg
STAMFORD CHORAL SOCIETY invites you to a reflective performance of Faur ’s Requiem interleaved with poems about conflict at pm on Remembrance Sunday 12 November at St Martin’s Church in Stamford. This will be a Come and Sing event open to all singers already familiar with the work, with rehearsal from 1pm to 3.30pm. Minimum suggested donation is £7 from audience and singers, to be split between Stamford Choral and The Royal British Legion. Prior registration to sing is required. Please email musicdirector@stamfordchoral.co.uk or www.stamfordchoral.co.uk
November 2023 / theactivemag.com
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Legacy Rebooted and Suited Vintage Pop Up
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Tanholt Fire Wood Barn dried, hard wood logs for sale.
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Active life
RECIPE
Roast partridge with rainbow chard, Jerusalem artichoke and pear Enjoy this seasonal delicious recipe courtesy of Frazer Nelson from the Red Lion at West Deeping. Partridge is in season now and readily available at your butchers.
Ingredients
• 2 oven ready partridge (trussed – your local butcher should be able to do this for you) • 200g Jerusalem artichoke (peeled) • 250g rainbow chard (stalks and leaves separated) • 1 ripe pear • 200ml red wine sauce or your favourite gravy • Salt • 90g butter
Method
• Heat your oven to 200c. • Rub the partridge with oil and season with sea salt. • Heat a frying pan and colour the partridge all over until golden brown. • Add the artichokes to the pan with the partridge. • Place the partridge and artichoke in the oven for 15 minutes. • Meanwhile blanch the chard stems in salted water for around 4 minutes or until tender.
• Melt the butter in a pan and wilt the chard leaves in it, then add the stems. • Remove the partridge from the oven and allow to rest for a few minutes. • You can then serve it whole or joint the bird and just serve the breasts and legs. • Arrange everything on plates (including the pear) and then dress with the sauce. www.theredlionwestdeeping.co.uk
November 2023 / theactivemag.com
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Active life
Dryad’s saddle Rowan Griffiths is looking for tree nymphs that sit on a saddle… ACCORDING TO FOLKLORE, in Greek mythology Dryads were timid and shy tree nymphs, originally the spirits of the oak tree, and then later all trees. Legend has it that they only lived as long as their host tree and rested on a Dryad’s saddle. Ceriporus squamosus, the Dryad’s saddle, is the largest capped mushroom in the United Kingdom that can grow in excess of 70cm across. It will often appear in tiers down the trunk of the host tree and become so heavy that it breaks o and falls to the ground. The surface of the cap is a pale cream to golden colour with an attractive patterning of concentric brown scales, hence its other common name, the ‘pheasant’s back’ as it is similar to the feathers on a female pheasant. The underside of the cap is covered in large angular o -white pores. The fungus is parasitic and favours dead or dying broadleaf trees, especially maple, beech and sycamore. The Dryad’s saddle is also edible, although you’d have to be quick if you were tempted to have a go as they grow very rapidly and soon become tough, leathery and corky. Only young specimens are palatable and easy to identify as they are hard to confuse with any other mushroom. I leave them for others to enjoy, left growing in their natural state and perhaps for the arboreal spirits to recline upon.
GARDE NING
Winter vibes This month Tessa Burns looks at plants that provide colourful or structural interest throughout the winter.
T
HE BARE TRUNK and delicate branches of silver birch look beautiful in the winter, especially Betula Jacquemontii, Snow Queen or Grayswood. And yes, some people do wash the bark with soapy water to enhance their brightness! Another favourite of mine is Corylus avellana Contorta - the corkscrew ha el. The leaves fall to display madly twisted branches. Catkins appear in late spring. It’s fabulous for flower arrangers too. Cornus Contraversa ‘Variegata’ is the wedding cake tree, so called because the branches grow in tiers bearing cream edged leaves. Choose a site where this small deciduous tree can grow unhindered to enjoy its full splendour. Cornus Alternifolia ‘Variegata’ is a smaller form. Cornus Kousa is a hardy deciduous tree or large shrub which tolerates partial shade to full sun and is ideal for small gardens. Cornus ousa ‘Satumi’ is a fine example. Cornus mas has oval leaves which turn purple before falling. Small clusters of tiny yellow flowers appear in late winter on the bare stems followed by glossy red fruit. For spectacular bursts of colour check out the dogwoods. Their vibrancy lasts all winter in sun or shade and the colours ing particularly in the winter sunlight. All cornus tolerate a wide range of soil conditions except very dry. The colourful autumn foliage gives way to even more colour of their bare stems. Cornus sang ‘Midwinter Fire’ is always popular, the stems are gold at the base turning to flame at the tips. ‘Anny’s Winter Orange’ is as its name suggests. ‘Magic Flame’ and ‘Cardinal’ also belong to this palette. ‘Baton Rouge’ stems are bright scarlet and ‘Sibirica’ crimson. ‘Kesselringii’ are purple black and ‘Buds
Yellow’ are yellow green. Planting in groups of two contrasting colours is e ective. They look wonderful near ponds where the colour is reflected in the water, or against a contrasting backdrop like multi stem birch. Cut back hard in late March or early April, down to two buds from the base to ensure good colour as it is the young growth which is the most vibrant, then add mulch. Another area of winter interest are conifers which were very popular in the 1970s and 80s. Although they are less popular now conifers are worth exploring for a low maintenance option. ering a wonderful variety of si e, shapes, colours, textures and growing habit, they look stunning when cloaked in snow or frost. Tall thin columns of green or gold yew, Taxus Fastigiata and Fast. Aurea, Juniperus Skyrocket and Blue Arrow are reminiscent of Mediterranean landscapes; Chamaecyparis Stardust, Pembury Blue, Columnaris Glauca, Picea and Pinus varieties add height. Fatter, rounder shapes include Thuja Rheingold and Globosa, or the semi-dwarf version cc. ‘Mr owling all’. Dwarf varieties such as Thuja Aurea Nana, Chamaecyparis obtusa Nana racilis, filifera Aurea and ‘Sungold’, and Cryptomeria varieties add colour, shape and interest. Juniperus fit eriana lauca and Cedrus deodora have a delicate weeping habit. Ground cover subjects such as Juniperus Blue Carpet, Blue Star, Conferta, Repens, Procumbens Nana and Tamariscifolia provide hori ontal interest. Some specimens can be trained into topiary balls, spirals, cones and the most stunning cloud trees. Positioned so that its silhouette can be enjoyed against the fading sunset is spectacular and o ers a perfect moment to revel in its beauty. www.wellandvale.co.uk
November 2023 / theactivemag.com
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Upholstery Upholstery workshops Workshop Dates
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9.30-4pm each day £70
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Active life
GARDE N DESIGN
Winter interest in the garden Most gardeners want to cut everything back to leave the garden tidy for the winter. Garden designer TJ Kennedy advises against this
L
EARNING TO ALLOW the garden to go through its natural cycle without preening it too much at this time of the year is hard to do but will provide you with an equally beautiful space as at the height of summer it will ust be di erent. Embracing this natural cycle of your garden is to accept what we consider is a mess, and yes, this may take some time to get comfortable with! But it is valuable not only for providing overwintering habitats for insects, but it also gives you an entirely new way of appreciating the structure and planting design in your garden. Solid evergreen combined with deciduous loose mass really contrast well in winter. The skeletal form of deciduous shrubs and trees marry with the leaf-bare perennials to bring cohesion. ow sun captured in seed heads and grasses will create long shadows. All these elements combine, creating an atmospheric feel to the garden. Dutch designers really embrace the seasons and will typically leave the tidying of herbaceous perennials until early spring. Accepting that this is part of the lifecycle of a plant encourages you to look for the beauty in the decay. And of course, not cutting back plants can protect some of them from frost damage.
We can feel a detachment to the garden during the winter because inside is warm and cosy with candles and blankets and warm suppers, and outside just looks like it’s dead and dormant. ut by bringing in dried flowers - huge, dried hydrangea heads, teasels etc - you are keeping the link alive. Muted colours that reflect what is happening in nature will have the same e ect. It isn’t all no work, however. ou are arranging and setting the scene for those magical frosty mornings where the dew droplets rest on the carcasses of the summer’s beauty. This is a task of casual tidying, deciding which seed heads can remain. It’s also a great time to sort out problem plants and remove them fully. Nurture your soil. Redefine edges which may have lost their clarity. ut this is gentle work which is well-suited to shorter days, giving us enough outdoor exposure but not requiring too much from us. It’s ok to have an o day. What to go with plant-wise ate flowering rudbeckia will still have a bit of their rusty yellow/red/orange colour into autumn and its strong flower heads will keep form over winter. Asters will keep their dainty heads for a while, capturing any moisture in the air. Salvias can give a good bit of low-level structure with their verticals. rasses are an obvious choice for ethereal beauty. www.tjkennedy.design
November 2023 / theactivemag.com
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Christmas shopping at its best
The doors are open, the gifts are on display, the wrapping paper is waiting. All that’s left to do is get your coat on, grab your bag and head to our wonderful local shops to support independent retailers for a spot of Christmas shopping. To make it even easier we’ve compiled a selection of the tastiest, most tempting and luxurious gifts you can buy in the area. What are you waiting for?
Local Late Night Christmas Shopping Oakham Mill Street late night shopping Friday 17 November 4 8pm Market Harborough’s
Christmas lights switch on Saturday 18 November from 5pm (switch-on at 7pm) Stamford late night sho pping and lights switch on Thursday 23 November 5 - 7pm Stamford Christmas Ma rket Sunday 26 November 10a m - 5pm Market Harborough Ch ristmas Fayre Friday 1 December from 5pm Oundle Christmas Ma rket Saturday 2 December 10a m - 5pm Uppingham late night shopping Thursday 7 December 5.3 0 - 9pm Oakham late night sho pping Monday 11 December 4 - 9pm
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Christmas Gift Guide
£10 to £25 Blue Aurora English blueberry ice wine
Wooden cutlery
This wooden cutlery selection is part of a fantastic range of natural creations from The Fig Store, Uppingham, including a wide array of walnut wood boards and the most stunning linen collection. A must-visit in the lead up to Christmas. Price: Spoons from £3.50 from www.thefigstore.com 01572 827889
Intense, fruity and velvety smooth. Pairs perfectly with cheese boards, rich chocolate desserts or added to your favourite sparkling wine. 37.5cl bottle. 10.5% abv. Price: £18.50 from www.blueaurorawine.co.uk 01832 273300
Swole bamboo socks
Make their Christmas extra special with these Swole panda pheasant bamboo socks. The perfect gift for countrymen and outdoors enthusiasts, these luxurious socks combine style and quality. With a reinforced heel, toe and hand-linked seams, they provide unmatched comfort, softness, and durability. Give the gift of both practicality and charm this holiday season. Price: £10 from www.colinbell.uk 01780 757888
Pet heaven
A delicious bundle of natural treats for any pooch this Christmas. Various size gift bags available. The example shown includes two sausages, one cow ear, liver, veggie toothbrush and a packet of Alpha Spirit Prosciutto treats. Available to purchase at Fineshade Wood or Peterborough. Price: From £3.50 from www.peterboroughposhpetz.co.uk 01780 440846
Plastic-free personalised hampers
Shop plastic-free gifts this Christmas from All Good Market in Stamford. Create your own personalised gift hampers with your favourite treats, or gift one of their luxurious stand alone products. Pictured: Loose leaf tea, jar, ceramic cup and lid, tea infuser and co ee scoop. Price: From £2.50 from www.allgoodmarket.co.uk 07935 134717
Will’s Walks books
The perfect gift for walkers incorporating short walks to longer meandering rambles criss-crossing our beautiful local countryside. A total of 42 walks for all seasons if you buy both volumes two and three. Price: £8.95 (volume 2) and £9.95 (volume 3) www.theactivemag.com and a selection of local retailers
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The George & Dragon 2 Main Street, Seaton, Rutland LE15 9HU
SERVING FOOD 7 NIGHTS A WEEK Join us for our £5 supper club every Monday night!
Winter menu now available to book online at
www.thegeorgeanddragonseaton.com
TRADITIONAL FAIRGROUND STALLS WILLOW LIGHT TRAIL THE SNOWMAN FILM
Christmas Gift Guide Sustainable wines and spirits
A delicious range of conscientiously crafted gin and wines from local vineyard and distillery Mallard Point. The premium gins include London Dry, Pinot Noir- steeped London Dry and English Rosé. And the wines are English Rosé, Pink Pet Nat and Chardonnay. All lovingly grown, picked and produced on the family farm. Absolutely delicious! Price: From £22 from www.mallardpoint.co.uk
Hand-picked, hand-made gifts
This happy little emporium on Mill Street in Oakham is overflowing with Christmas magic and feel-good gifts for everyone. The perfect choice for your home, favourite kids, your favourite people and everyone else in-between. The curated collection of hand-picked, hand-made gifts are lovingly created by local businesses for local people. Price: From £2 - £80 from www.mangoandthemoon.co.uk
Luxury body range
Luxurious body care and home fragrance range providing rich nourishment and protection for all skin types, including sensitive skin. The product range is British made, vegan friendly and uses eco-friendly packaging. Price: From: £4.95 from www.newlodgefarm.co.uk 01780 450493
Moult Alpaca Socks
You have to feel these to believe just how soft they are. As soft as cashmere but much more hardwearing. Price: £22.99 a pair from www.thebarngardencentre.co.uk 01832 273310
Optimum You gift vouchers
Give the gift of health and happiness this Christmas. Vouchers of any value available for Optimum You Yoga Studio, Market Harborough. From: www.optimumyouyoga.com 07305 584007
The perfect, unique present for someone special
How about the gift of un-ending love? Alison’s beautifully presented gift vouchers are available for private readings/ bespoke meditations/other services for any amount from just £15. Price: From £15 (+p&p) from www.alisonstead-medium.co.uk 07557 226759
Handmade candles
These luxury candles are hand crafted in Stamford. Both scented and fragrance free, the range for autumn and winter include Pomegranate Rose with Amber, After the Rain and Valencian Orange. All items can be delivered or if you live locally you can use the click-and-collect service available from the Wick & Wax HQ in Stamford. Price: from £10 from www.thewickandwax.co
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Thebarnoundle Barn_Garden barngardencentre
BEAUTIFUL GIFTS FOR ALL AGES Wreaths, Christmas Decorations, Poinsettias, Indoor and Outdoor Christmas Lights, Lots of Gift ideas and Gift Vouchers.
FREE & AMPLE PARKING Barnwell Road, Oundle PE8 5PB | T : 01832 273310 www.thebarngardencentre.co.uk Church Farm, Essendine, Rutland PE9 4LH www.mallardpoint.co.uk
FESTIVE FAVOURITES ON OUR SPECIALS BOARD ALONGSIDE OUR DELICIOUS MENUS!
BUY ONLINE OR COME AND VISIT US FOR English Still & Sparkling Wines, Award Winning Gins Vineyard & Distillery Tours & Tastings Sustainable Bottle Return, Refill & Reuse Scheme
Farmer Lou Farm Shop for fresh local produce. Local Meat delivery. Hog Roasts and Outside Catering.
www.farmerlou.co.uk Tower House Farm, Barnsdale Avenue Oakham, Rutland LE15 8AH
Christmas Gift Guide Spa gift sets
Discover luxurious spa gift sets and gift vouchers from Revive Skin and Spa for Christmas and make your loved ones feel extra special this year. Whether you’re shopping for presents for skincare lovers, a wellness seeker, or for something to add to your own wish list, Revive’s Christmas gift sets are perfect for making this Christmas a special one. Price: From £10 at 106 - 108 St Mary’s Road, Market Harborough and online at www.reviveskinandspa.co.uk
Super sewing books
Great for beginners and slightly more advanced sewers, and both make great gifts. By Merchant and Mills, who are a fabulous British company, Stamford Fabric also stock their beautiful range of men’s and ladies sewing patterns. Price: £12.99 (Elementary Sewing Skills) and £20 (The Sewing Book) from www.thestamfordfabriccompany.com 01780 753409
Terrariums
These amazing miniature eco systems are perfect for the home or office. Creating their own microclimate within the glass vessel, terrariums require virtually zero maintenance. Available in various sizes and shapes, these bottle gardens make the perfect gift. Price: from £11.99 from Stamford Botanics, St Paul’s Street, Stamford. 01780 752328
Cast iron signs Stamford Yoga gift vouchers
With a choice of 90 di erent class themes to choose from, rotated over approximately 20 time slots each week, treat someone to gift vouchers from Stamford Yoga. They can be used for Thai massages too. Vouchers of any value available. From www.stamfordyoga.co.uk 07738 272474
Our home to yours
Welcome guests this festive season with decorative Christmas giftware. Hot chocolate mugs, Christmas trays and coasters, perfect for the cooler evenings. Gift vouchers also available. Price: From £7.99 from www.wellandvale.co.uk 01572 822729
For a truly unique gift, make sure you visit Tracey’s Emporium in Uppingham. A treasure trove of pre-loved houseware, decorative items and furniture especially for those people who have everything. Price: Metal signs from £15 from Station Road, Uppingham. 01572 729998
Oils, vinegars, spirits and fine foods
Vom Fass Stamford has a huge range of award winning extra virgin olive oils, seed and nut oils, balsamic vinegars, whiskeys, brandy, rum, liqueurs, cognac and fine foods. All gifts can be personalised in store to suit every requirement. Price: From £12 from www.vomfassuk.com 01780 769493
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Relieve Pain and Live an Active Life with MBST Long-lasting and sustainable results without the need for medication or surgery. Used to treat Premier Leag ue footballers and Olympic athletes
HOW IT WORKS: MBST stimulates the body’s natural healing processes, treating the cause of your condition with zero side effects. The multi-award-winning technology is the only non-invasive medical device to work at a cellular level and is proven to treat sports injuries, Osteoarthritis, back pain and much more. The pioneering technology uses Magnetic Resonance Therapy to stimulate damaged and degenerated cells into regrowth, triggering the body’s natural healing processes.
OSTEOARTHRITIS Counteract cartilage degeneration Long-term pain relief & improved mobility
SPORTS INJURIES Return to sport faster Reduce recovery time by up to 75%
For more information, patient testimonials and scientific studies, visit the MBST Medical UK website or call to speak to one of our MBST professionals.
www.MBSTmedical.co.uk
Cell Regeneration and Ann Clare Physiotherapy Casterton Lane, Tinwell, Rutland PE9 3UQ
01780 238084
Christmas Gift Guide
£25 to £50 Stunning womenswear
Gift vouchers available from this fabulous womenswear boutique o ering smart casual wear and for more formal occasions as well. From: Private Kollection in Market Place, Market Deeping. 01778 346226
Georgian Stamford
Celebrating Stamford, the finest stone town in ngland, this beautiful collection of images of the town taken between 2018 to 202 is a perfect gift for lovers of old buildings and Stamford itself. With over 182 pages it covers Stamford’s stunning period centre with her townhouses, shops, pubs and caf s. Price: £28 from www.theoldbuilding.com
Dozy Dinkums
The sweetest first doll, made from soft cotton, gently weighted and posable with the perfect amount of squish for cuddles and play. Suitable for children 0+ Pop in to store, or order online for click and collect. Price: £39 from www.bumbleandtwig.co.uk
Beautiful home accessories
An extensive selection of accessories to co-ordinate with your interior schemes. amp shades, bases, cushions, throws, door stops and rugs. There’s a wide range in the store or to pre order. All items are individually priced. From: Fiona Swan Curtains and Blinds, West Street, Oundle. 07779 713073
Cooking on the Big Green Egg Cookery Book
Over 70 original recipes as well as advice, tricks and tips covering everything from how to set up your Egg to mastering di erent cooking modes. Perfect for beginners to kamado-style cooking or those looking for new recipes to develop their skills. ther accessories and Big Green Eggs also available. Price: £25.00 from www.stamfordstoves.co.uk 01780 769274
Fine merino stripes
Choose a 3 or 6 pack box set of stylish, versatile and sustainable merino wool stripe socks with a contrast heel and toe. erfect gifts for friends and family and will comprise random colourways in the size of your choice. Striking colour combinations; breathable, odour free, natural fibres machine washable; made in ngland. Price: £33 for 3 pack/£60 for 6 pack from www.pittch.co.uk
Perfect stocking fillers
Not just jewellery! Murano Silver also stock a large collection of other perfect gifts including li abeth Scarlett wash bags, pouches and purses. Starting from 16, they’re the perfect little stocking filler including this veryday ouch. Price: £32 from 32 St Mary’s St, Stamford
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ACTIVE10 10% DISCOUNT IN NOVEMBER
Diamond Specialists Jewellery Repairs | Engraving Valuations | Gold Buying Watch & Clock Repairs Bespoke Design Service Conversions | Restorations Pre-Owned Jewellery & Watches
35 NORTH STREET, BOURNE, LINCS PE10 9AE 01778 423816 11 WATERGATE, GRANTHAM, LINCS NG31 6NS 01476 563053
WWW.HOPPERSJEWELLERS .CO.UK
Christmas Gift Guide
Historical blue plaque
Are you looking for a unique Christmas gift? Discover who lived in your house before you 80-140 years ago, for display on a historical blue plaque window vinyl. A unique gift for a friend or relative or why not buy one for yourself? Order by 15 November for guaranteed Christmas delivery. Price: £75 from www.herebeforeus.co.uk
£50 to £100 Roxy Alabama fleece
Bright white Chandail full zip fleece to keep you cosy this winter. Price: £89.99 from www.tallingtonlakesproshop.com
Medik8 gift sets
Treat your loved ones to beautiful skin for life with these festive gift sets. Featuring the most loved and proven Medik8 formulas, this will be the most welcome gift on Christmas Day. Price: From £65 from www.nuuskinspecialist.co.uk
Upholstery Workshops
Learn to upholster the traditional way using tacks, hair and hessian. Gifts include the popular Starter Tool Kit (£110) and gift vouchers for any amount, or for a day (£70) or 5 days (£320). Price: From £70 from: www.joatno40.co.uk 07415 767826
The Pickled Shop hampers
Enjoy a feast of delights from Bulwick Village Shop this Christmas. It’s time to tuck in! Price: From £30. Hamper pictured is £70 from www.thepickledshop.com 01780 450774
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THE FIG STORE
HOME & GARDEN thefigstore.com @thefigstore 3 Queen Street, Uppingham, LE15 9QR
To find your nearest branch scan here
Now with eleven branches throughout East Anglia and into the East Midlands, why not make us your number one choice for
AGRICULTURE | CONSTRUCTION | GROUNDSCARE
SALES | SERVICE | PARTS | HIRE
For more information visit www.benburgess.co.uk
Christmas Gift Guide Heart rate tracker
The world’s first heart rate tracker that can be worn on the chest, wrist or arm for convenience, comfort and most importantly, accuracy. Regardless of the activity you’re doing, M -Switch is perfect for accurate monitoring, ensuring there’s no blind spots in physical activity measurement. Price: £139.99 from www.myzone.org
A violin of one’s own
For the violinist who wants something extra special for Christmas, these personalised violins from Stamford Strings hit all the right notes. Prices: from £2,000 from www.stamfordstrings.co.uk 01780 764339
£100+ Asscher Cut White Topaz Jewellery
For a spectacular treat this Christmas, why not give your special someone this stunning white topa ewellery necklace, earrings and ring. All items are available separately. A gift they will treasure forever. Price: £390 (pendant); £360 (earrings) and £500 (ring) from www.hoppersjewellers.co.uk 01778 423816
Dual air fryer
If you don’t have one of these yet, it’s time to buy one. For stress free, easy cooking try this 8 litre dual air fryer where you can cook two di erent types of food, two di erent ways at the same time. Price: Reduced to £129.99 from Stu Pots, 36 Market Place, Oundle. 01832 275414
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48 KING STREET WEST DEEPING PE6 9HP We can be found in the heart of West Deeping offering local, fresh and sustainable food and drink with friendly family service. SET 2 OR 3 COURSE LUNCH MENU, A LA CARTE AND HOMEMADE BAR SNACKS
OPENING HOURS Wednesday - Saturday 12pm - 11pm Sunday 12pm - 6pm Lunch Menu Served 12pm - 2.30pm Dinner Menu Served 5.30pm - 9pm
theredlionwestdeeping.co.uk Or call us on 07421 977661 TheRedLionWestDeeping
Give the Gift of This Season
Discover vomFASS. A foodie haven for award winning oils, specialty vinegars, gourmet foods, craft spirits and liqueurs.
HOURS Mon - Thurs 10 to 5pm Fri - Sat 10 to 6pm Sunday 10 to 4pm ADDRESS 1-2 St Paul's St, Stamford PE9 2BE, United Kingdom
Christmas Gift Guide Cave tiny mini eroded 9ct yellow gold necklace
Made by Ada Gallery owner Ruth Wood and inspired by irregular form, rock formations and ancient artefacts. Price: £280 (with silver chain £150) from www.adagallery.co.uk 01858 461896
Clocks for every home
Whatever style your house is, there’s always a place for a period clock. The tick and chime transforms a house into a home. The Stamford Clock Shop in St Mary’s Street has a range of clocks which are ideal for that statement piece in your home. Today’s purchase is tomorrow’s heirloom. Prices to suit all budgets. From: www.thestamfordclockshop.co.uk 07917 464431
Raleigh Pop 16
Bamboo Handle Bag
The perfect bag for the festive season. Beautifully made in Italian leather with bamboo detailing. Head to White Ginger in Stamford now. Price: £109 from www.white-ginger.com 01780 756100
What child could say no to this? A starter bike for junior adventurers who want to ride in style, with eye-catching colours for boys and girls. To suit 4 - 7 year-olds. Price: £199 from www.georgehallscycles.co.uk 01858 465507
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F R O M FA R M TO FOR K The provenance of our food is important, and the fewer food miles the better. Mary meets Farmer Lou whose business truly reflects this
S
OMETHING WE CAN all do to help the environment, and it is really simple, is to reduce our food miles. This means eating locally produced, seasonal food. es, we all love avocados, asparagus out of season and salad all year round but when we really think about how far these foods have travelled around the world to get to our plates and the air miles involved it does make you consider the sense of it all. We can all do our bit to help, however small and the simplest way is to make sure you buy locally produced food. ouise Scott and her husband Joe are real advocates of eating locally produced food and practice what they preach. They first met at agricultural college and have been together ever since. Joe works as a farm manager, initially on the Northants Warwickshire border whilst ouise worked
in the NHS. She then started a meat business on a very small scale at first rearing pigs on the farm and making sausages whilst still working part time for the NHS. ‘I started by supplying friends and family with meat, lamb and pork, and making sausages,’ says ou, ‘and everyone really liked my sausages. Sausages are traditionally made from all the remnants and waste from the beast but I was using more choice parts of the animal and making coarser, tastier sausages with better quality meat. And people loved them and wanted more.’ ou quickly became Farmer ou setting up her business and selling packs of raw sausages at markets, farmer’s markets, food fairs and festivals. ‘I quickly got a unit to make the sausages and started making di erent flavours.’ They attended local markets selling the sausages which very quickly became very popular. Customers
liked the di erent flavours, knew the provenance of the meat and, of course, the taste. They also liked the ethos. igs were reared on the farm and all the butchery and sausage making was done on the farm as well. efore long the NHS ob had gone and ou, with the help of Joe, was working flat out to produce sausages as well as oints, burgers, chops and marinaded kebabs. ‘ ne day someone came up to me at the market and asked why we weren’t selling cooked sausages as well as raw,’ says Joe. ‘We hadn’t really thought about it and said we were happy as we were. This chap smiled and said that before long we would be doing both and then walked o .’ And he was right. Joe and ou could see that they could expand the business by doing hog roasts and cooked sausages as well as still selling raw products. So they bought a hog roaster and had six weddings booked in the first month. ne machine became seven and they were flat out working 70 hour weeks doing outside catering, hog roasts, weddings and festivals and still selling raw produce too. Joe was also still running the farms so it was full on And every piece of meat they sold was reared (and usually born on the farm which is a very important part of their ethos. During this period Joe’s ob changed so the
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Farmer Lou
‘I quickly got a unit to make the sausages and started making different flavours.’ family moved to Rutland so that Joe could run a large farm on the Barnsdale Avenue. They had to start from scratch here erecting farm buildings, grain stores and even their house. ‘The agreement was that I would still be able to carry on with my meat business,’ says Lou and that is just what they did. When they moved Lou was expecting twins and still working 70 hour weeks making sausages. Probably not the best recommendation for someone heavily pregnant. They were now selling their hog roasts, street food and cooked sausages at large shows such as Countryfile ive at Blenheim with the business growing all the time. By now Lou had lots of sheep and pigs and once the move to Rutland took place, cattle as well.
And then we all know what happened; Covid and lockdowns. ‘That was it, the outside catering business stopped immediately,’ says Lou. But they had pigs, sheep and cattle that needed slaughtering so they had to find another outlet for their meat. Thinking on their feet they quickly started selling meat boxes and delivering them. They had the butchery room on the farm so put the boxes together during the day and delivered them in the evening. They were popular as people knew Lou’s meat was good quality, tasty and, most importantly local. The animals are reared on the farm as well as being butchered there too. The only mileage involved is the journey to Grantham to the abattoir and then back again with a carcass. Lou’s meat boxes were popular
particularly as people had time to cook from scratch. And then, because we could do nothing else, customers started to come and collect the meat boxes as it gave them something to do. ‘This worked well but as the winter drew in we didn’t want people standing outside in the rain so we put up a log cabin alongside the butchery so people could keep dry. And then, once we had them in the room we decided to put a fridge in there so, as well as picking up a meat box, customers could add a couple of steaks or bacon or anything else they fancied.’ And from that the farm shop developed. They extended the log cabin and added more stock including local eggs, cakes, Rutland Honey, chutneys and jams and seasonal veg. As well as sausages Lou makes oven ready pies and sausage rolls too. Everything sold in the shop comes from within a 30 mile radius so, along with their meat, everything really is produced on the doorstep. Once restrictions eased and as soon as 30 people could meet outside Lou and Joe were back doing their hog roasts and outside catering as demand shot through the roof. And that has just carried on. This summer Farmer ou has catered at 106 di erent events and fed 16,500 people; that is an awful lot of sausages and hog roasts! They have now extended their repertoire to include bbqs and now employ a chef as well as a butcher along with outside catering sta and shop sta . Farmer Lou is now a thriving, busy business based on a sound, sustainable ethos. All meat comes from the farm, born, bred and reared in Rutland and then prepared on the farm with as few food miles as possible. This is the sort of business we should all be supporting, food produced on your doorstep. And I can vouch for the sausages, they are great quality and delicious. www.farmerlou.co.uk
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32 St Mary’s St. Stamford PE9 2DS
Cinelli Veltrix - Italian Elegance • Solar Panel Installations • Battery Storage Unit • PV Solar Water Heater • EV Car Chargers Compatible • Solar • Workplace • Domestic • Residential Landlords
Tel: 01780 763415 www.sr-electrical.com
GEORGE HALLS CYCLE CENTRE 10-12 Northampton Road, Market Harborough, Leics, LE16 9HE. 01858 465507 www.georgehallscycles.co.uk georgehallscycle@aol.com
Fiona Swan
A special skillset The skill of handmade and finishing curtain making is sadly a dying art. Mary meets the owner of Fiona Swan curtains and blinds in Oundle
T
RADITIONALLY, IF YOU wanted plenty of choice for fabric for curtains or blinds, or wanted them making up, you always used to go to John Lewis or Laura Ashley. Or if you were in the know, would buy the fabric from the shop and then ask a skilled curtain maker to make them up for you. But then Laura Ashley disappeared closely followed by John Lewis in Peterborough closing down. Now what do you do? You could buy material online but that doesn’t always work. Colours are never very well illustrated. There is usually no comeback and cheap fabric is cheap for a reason… The closing of John Lewis gave Fiona Swan a big opportunity and she quite rightly, duly took advantage of it, opening her beautiful shop in Oundle where she sells lots and lots of lovely designer fabric as well as o ering a handmade curtain and blind making service. She was already well established as a curtain maker but could see there was a chance to expand to sell fabric as well. Despite being horse mad Fiona took her mother’s advice and trained in fashion and textiles and learnt how to make curtains. She
then started working for Laura Ashley. A stint travelling then followed and on her return she went back to Laura Ashley. But not for long as she realised she could make the curtains herself and was able to o er customers a better price, probably better quality and certainly a better service. So she set up on her own as a curtain maker working from home. She did this for many years, building a successful business until eventually she outgrew her house having ‘no rooms left to work in’ so set up her own studio in Thrapston taking someone on to help meet demand. ‘It was good steady work and my skills were put to good use but I knew I could do more and wanted to sell and supply fabrics as well as work on the manufacturing side,’ she says.
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Fiona Swan
John Lewis closing in Peterboorugh meant you could no longer visit the shop to study the lookbooks of designer fabrics. Fiona took on her premises in Oundle’s West Street, madly decorated, liaised with all the di erent fabric reps, bought the fabric books (they are not cheap and then had a very quick turnaround and opened her shop in June this year. And Oundle and the surrounding area has welcomed her with open arms. ‘The response has been overwhelming,’ she told me. ‘I am absolutely delighted.’ Her shop is lovely; light and airy and full of fabric books, swathes of material – do note the swan fabric hanging up – and with a lovely window display; all showing Fiona’s strengths. And the choice of fabric is huge ranging from high end fabrics at about £150 a metre down to a more a ordable 0. A lot of well known brands and designers are represented including Sanderson, Clark and Clark, Ashley Wilde, Harlequin, ILIV and too many more to mention. And at the back of the shop, up some stairs is a large workroom where curtains and blinds are made. It’s certainly a hive of activity. Fiona also stocks soft furnishings or makes them for you, as well as table lamps and a few other interior bits. And all things blinds and curtains including poles, tracks, beading and trimmings. Fiona o ers you a service from start to finish. She will come out and measure up for you and then give a free quotation. You will then know how much fabric to buy and can spend time looking through all of Fiona’s books of fabric. She can also get samples for you. Fiona only works with the fabric she sells in her shop as she then has comeback with the manufacturers if there is a problem as she has a paid relationship with her accounts and knows where the fabric is sourced from. Fiona also has a reliable and trusty ‘fitter’ who does the hanging for her. She can o er you lots of advice as to whether you should have curtains or blinds. And then she can suggest plenty of di erent styles of curtain, linings, trimmings etc. Fiona has lots of experience and skill so has a wealth of knowledge. Her customers vary from people moving house, others redecorating a room and some doing major refurbishment. Houses can be new or old and a set of curtains will usually take between four to six weeks to deliver, but could be longer during busy periods. Fiona enjoys the commercial side of her business, the fabric
selection and selling as well as the making of the curtains and o ering a bespoke service. She employs three other ladies to help with the making up who are all fully qualified with either degrees or BTECs so are very skilled. ‘Sadly there are not many people around now who know how to make a proper decent, hand finished pair of curtains. This is because there is nowhere for them to learn to do this. There are fewer and fewer courses available to get fully trained, and that’s such a pity.’ Fiona can o er lots of advice about fabrics and soft furnishings and is now branching into furniture sales as well. From mid November, in the shop next door, Fiona will be o ering a stunning collection of bespoke, made to order sofas and armchairs by ARTISTIC UPHOLSTERY which will be available to order in a wide range of fabrics she already stocks as well as some new, recognisable brands. Pop in and see her, she’ll be delighted to see you. www.fionaswancurtainsandblinds.co.uk
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Uppingham’s Local Independent Garden Centre & Café
FESTIVE WORKSHOPS
Christmas
Uppingham’s Local Independent At Welland Vale Garden Centre & Café
Decorations, Home grown gifts,plants, WINTER lights and festive BEDDING hampers PACKS Sunday and lots Local Independent 3rd December Uppingham’s Garden Centre & Café more CHRISTMAS
Exclusive Menswear Retailer Available In-store and Online www.colinbell.uk
MARKET Local business
We showcase top European brands including Fynch-Hatton, Bugatti, Meyer, and Olymp, offering you unparalleled style and quality.
and crafts
SANTA’S COMING
to Welland Vale
CRAFTS TO TRY
*booking may be required
See website for details
Now taking bookings for our delicious
CHRISTMAS LUNCHES
Bookings only 01780 757888 shop@colinbell.uk @colinbellmenswear 7 Sheep Market Stamford PE9 2QZ
Glaston Road, Uppingham, Rutland LE15 9EU
Garden Centre & The Orchard Café 01572 822729
www.wellandvale.co.uk
@thepickledshop
@bulwickvillageshop
Whatever you want to say to your team, clients or suppliers – be it hello, thank you, sorry, Merry Christmas or congratulations, hampers are a wonderful way to send your best wishes. We deliver individual hampers along with personalised handwritten cards – using cards from our hand-illustrated range or something customised for you. We offer three differently size hampers filled with a selection of pickles or preserves, crackers, chocolates, cookies, tea or perhaps something a little stronger! Or course, if you would prefer something smaller, larger, rounder, or flashier then we can make that happen too.
To order just visit: bulwickvillageshop.com or thepickleshop.com or pop into our wee shop: Bulwick Village Shop, Main Street, Bulwick NN17 3DY or call us on: 01780 450774
Scan for 10% off your first order
Less than a mile from the A1 Now with more than 70 dealers, the centre has a variety of antiques unmatched in the surrounding area. Items range from £5 to £5,000 and regular turnover of stock frequently brings customers back for more. Open 10am-5pm Mon-Sat
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Hoppers
The family jewellers Mary meets Fiona Hopper, the fourth generation of her family to run their jewellery business
W
HEN TRAVELLING AROUND the UK and visiting market and county towns I’ve always thought you can judge the prosperity of the area by its high street, particularly the number of independent shops. But the ultimate indicator is the jewellers and the quality of what it sells, that usually has pride of place on the high street. Many small market towns have a really good, long established jeweller selling expensive rings, brooches, bracelets and watches. Buxton springs
to mind immediately, Bakewell too and more locally obviously Stamford and then, of course, there is Hoppers of Bourne which has just celebrated 45 years on North Street. So well established is Hoppers that Fiona Hopper, the current managing director, knows virtually all of her customers, their families, relations, where they live, even their pets. Fiona is the fourth generation of her family to run the business which goes back 90 years to her great grandfather Arthur Hopper who was from Goole. His son Stanley moved to Boston
aged 21 and took on a jeweller’s shop there, quickly establishing himself as an Omega watch agent which was quite an honour for a small jeweller in the heart of rural Lincolnshire. This agency helped them survive the war years and once Stanley’s sons joined the business it expanded opening more shops in the county. The brothers then amicably split the business and Fiona’s father Peter had the shops in Sleaford, Grantham and Bourne. Fiona had no intention of joining the family business and after leaving Stamford High School went o to dinburgh to study business and languages. She then headed to Australia and afterwards to New Zealand spending eight years away from home working mainly in sales. ‘After eight years I decided I wanted to come home and retrain as a lawyer,’ Fiona says. ‘I asked my father if he would help me pay for the course and he suggested I became a jeweller instead. I hadn’t even considered it but he suggested we each gave the other a year to see how I got on and if I liked it. So, I
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Hoppers agreed and joined the company in 1996. I spent the year travelling round the country working in various jewellers learning the trade that my father had contacts with, including in Durham, Edinburgh, King’s Lynn and Cork, and I loved it.’ Fiona’s father was very forward thinking and could see that she would bring a di erent perspective to the business as well as a fresh pair of eyes. He was strict with her and expected her to gain all her qualifications which she duly did. She is now a Fellow of the Institute of Registered Valuers, a gemmologist and valuer and knows the jewellery trade inside out and backwards. ‘I also loved being back in Lincolnshire which I did not expect. It really was coming home. I caught up with old school friends, joined Tolethorpe and had a lovely little cottage in a village near Stamford. I love the jewellery trade, love my customers and the people I work with and there’s never a dull moment.’ Fiona became managing director in 2007 when her father retired. ‘We had 10 years working together and we had great fun. He was a very skilled, experienced gemmologist with an encyclopaedic knowledge and we worked well together. He had the experience and knowledge whilst I had the enthusiasm and new ideas. And it worked.’ Fiona introduced new brands and ideas but the core of the business was always the same; good quality jewellery and excellent customer service. Hoppers now has two shops, the one in Bourne and another in Grantham which is run by Russell who has been with the company for 0 years. Sixteen sta now work for Hoppers including Fiona’s sister Bridget who does the admin and stock control at rantham. Many sta are part time, and all are qualified mainly as gemmologists. This means that you can trust Fiona and her sta . They are knowledgeable, know what they are talking about, know the quality of what they are selling and can o er great advice such as sapphires should never be stored next to
pearls as they will scratch them. It gives you confidence to know that any member of sta you deal with knows their stu . The Grantham shop is well known for its second hand and pre loved jewellery and Russell has a great eye as well has huge experience. Hoppers buy jewellery in as well as sell pre loved. They also repurpose and redesign pieces of jewellery which is becoming more and more popular. ‘We often get customers coming in who have inherited
jewellery which they will never wear. But it means a lot to them so they want to have it redesigned so they will wear it,’ says Fiona. This is often the case with wedding rings and often items of gold jewellery that will be melted down to make a wedding or signet ring. Hoppers are also well known for their repair service for both jewellery and clocks. But they also sell giftware including christening gifts and crystal. And they sell all sorts of jewellery ranging from pretty, inexpensive silver pieces to well known brands such as Hot Diamonds and fashion pieces. But, of course, they are best known for the lovely engagement rings they sell and wedding rings which are handmade and bespoke to fit round your engagement ring. The choice of wedding rings is enormous with diamond set ones being very popular. Fiona is rightly most proud of Hoppers’ reputation. ‘We are renowned for our excellent customer service and for being honest. I know most of our customers and they trust us. They know they are buying good quality jewellery and can trust that they are getting what they pay for, which is absolutely vital in the jewellery world.’ www.hoppersjewellers.co.uk
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Dying Matters
Dying matters Kate meets Claire Henry, an expert in death, dying and bereavement and a trustee at Dying Matters Rutland
I
WROTE ABOUT death, dying and funerals just over a year ago but I’m going to write about it again because I think it’s important. I’ll repeat what I said then, we are not very good at talking about dying in this country. In fact, some people go to extraordinary lengths to avoid it, but as Claire Henry MBE, an expert in palliative care, death, dying and bereavement told me, most people with a life-limiting illness and their family and friends find that when they do talk about their fears, hopes and wishes it is often extremely comforting. ‘You only get one chance to get it right,’ she says. ‘Everyone deserves a good death, whatever that means to them, and it will be di erent for everyone.’ Death was hardly talked about when Claire was younger and when she was a fresh-faced 18-year-old nurse on a surgical ward there was a lady who was dying but nobody told her. ‘She didn’t realise how ill she was and I didn’t think that was right. I think we should have had a conversation with her about it. I’ve always been keen on how we can improve situations for people. It’s such a privilege to care for someone who is dying and I felt we needed to get everyone together and talking about it, because you can really see the di erence it can make to people.’ Not everyone gets the correct, or any, support as they approach the end of life. This is where Dying Matters comes in. Originally it was a nationwide movement which always involved the local community. Set up in 2008 with Claire’s input, it grew rapidly.
Bereavement help points
Fast forward to 2019 and the Lord-Lieutenant Dr Sarah Furness was very keen to bring it to Rutland to improve end of life care for people living here. With the help and expertise of di erent trustees, Dying Matters in Rutland was established. Working in collaboration with LOROS, Dove Cottage and Thorpe Hall Sue Ryder, Rutland now has bereavement help points in The Falcon in Uppingham, Ketton library and akham fire station run by a merry band of superb, well trained volunteers. The bereavement help points are not about counselling, they are about listening and it’s open to anyone, whether you were bereaved yesterday or twenty years ago. Children under 18 are directed elsewhere for more specialist help.
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Dying Matters
The lead volunteer in Uppingham, Nicky, is a retired special needs teacher and when Claire gave a talk at her Rotary club she thought ‘I could do this. The training is great and we play it by ear each week as we never know who will turn up. We can give people individual attention if they want it or they may want to join a group discussion. The door is always open and you stay as short a time or come as often as you want. ‘There is always plenty of tea and biscuits on o er, and obviously some people are very upset but there is often a lot of laughter too. It can be daunting to come out when you’re bereaved but people make friends and feel they’re not alone having come here. And obviously it’s all confidential.’ Kevin was originally a funeral director then a prison chaplain then returned to the funeral business as a celebrant. ‘Once a funeral is over there’s a vacuum,’ he says. ‘You have everyone around you at home and then they leave and friends and relatives don’t always know what to say as time goes on. eople find themselves very isolated and the bereavement points are exactly what’s needed.’ Liz, one of the original volunteers since day one, lost her mum when she was 0. ‘In my friendship group it was the first bereavement of parents and my friends were great initially but at six weeks most thought my grief should all be done and dusted. Since then I‘ve gone on to support friends who are bereaved and now I’m very happy to help here.’ It is so important to remember people no longer with us and, with this in mind and as part of National Grief Awareness week from 2- 7 December, a memory tree will be set up at the Falcon so that individuals can come and place a bauble on the tree in memory of their loved ones.
your funeral, Single Points of Access (SPA), ResPECT forms, Tell Us Once, what to do in an emergency, organ donation and how to deal with your technological footprint after you’ve gone, amongst many others. There are lists of hospitals, care homes, local hospices, Marie Curie and Macmillan nurses. But there’s also invaluable help on how to have ‘that conversation’ with loved ones so that everyone is clear about a person’s dying wishes. It is a mine of information and support. ‘It’s very important to write an Advance Care Plan,’ says Clare, ‘which is created with the help of your GP or a healthcare professional and can be written at any time, even if you’re not ill. rint a copy o so it’s readily available to everyone. And ask yourself what do I really want? Do I want my family to be around? Where do I feel safe? That may be in a hospice or a care home, but bear in mind that could be miles away from friends and family. Other people want to be at home, others in hospital. ‘It can be much harder to talk about this when you’re older and closer to death. I’d never force anyone to talk about it if they didn’t want to; people cope in di erent ways and if they didn’t ever talk about problems, why should they talk about this? Just listen to what they say and glean bits of information that way.’ Anyone is welcome to drop into the bereavement help points from any area. There are grief kind spaces in Lincolnshire including Stamford and bereavement hubs in Leicestershire but they all do the same thing. It’s not faith-based, all faiths are welcome and even people grieving their animals are included. ‘We encourage people to socialise,’ says Nicky.’ We have men and women of all di erent ages. It takes a lot of courage to walk through the door so we can meet people outside so they don’t have to walk in on their own. We’re a friendly bunch trying to help people live and die well.’ www.dyingmattersleicestershireandrutland.com www.bhprutland.com
One stop shop
In addition to the bereavement help points, Dying Matters has an incredibly well designed and informative website which encompasses Leicester and Leicestershire. It’s a one stop shop signposting people to all the di erent services in the area, and gives advice to the dying, carers or the bereaved on all sorts of subjects you never think of until unfortunately you are in that position, as we all will be. There’s practical advice including printed resources and podcasts on writing wills, powers of attorney, the role of executors, planning
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W I L L’ S W A L K
Burrough on the Hill & Thorpe Satchville Enjoy some wonderful rolling countryside and far-reaching views from the top of an ancient hilltop fortress. By Will Hetherington
Images: Will Hetherington
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Will’s Walk There are fabulous views in all directions from Burrough Hill.
Difficulty rating The route
Park in Burrough on the Hill and walk west along Main Street past the Stag & Hounds and as you leave the village take Melton Lane which branches right o the main road on the bend. Walk down the road for about 100 metres (ignoring the first footpath on the left and then take the second footpath on the left. Turn right in the field and follow the hedge down into the dip. eep following the signs and the path through a series of fields and boundaries and significant undulations, passing Adam’s orse on the left as you go. After this wood the path veers northwest and will quickly bring you into Thorpe Satchville. Turn right on to the road in the village and then right again almost immediately on to akers ane and you are now also oining the eicestershire Round. Stay on the tarmac for a mile as it traverses the ridge. ass ittlethorpe Farm on the right and keep going until you reach the crossroads. Turn right here, o the tarmac but staying on the eicestershire Round, and you will immediately start to descend. ut don’t celebrate too early because the hard bit is yet to come. Follow the path down to Melton ane and cross the road to begin the ascent of urrough Hill. The first stage is a gentle slope, but once you have gone through the kissing gate next to the farm gate and left the arable land behind, the contour lines get a lot tighter and so will your quads. Follow the path around the base of the final mound briefly until you see the sign to the left for the path heading straight up through the gorse bushes. Make the final ascent which only takes five minutes at most, to reach the circular plateau at the top of the hill. The day I was there recently there was a herd of cattle en oying the views from the top. They are a pretty placid bunch, and the area is plenty big enough to steer clear if they are in residence. The problem was they were crowded around the very handy toposcope, which points out other landmarks on the hori on such as the wonderfully named Robin-a-tiptoe, elvoir Castle, incoln Castle and the oston Stump 1 miles away. I braved the cattle, but I can’t say I could make out any of the distant sights. Nevertheless it’s a great way to get your bearings on top of this 690-foot hill. While you are up there you may as well walk around the half mile circuit of the old fortress, including the trig point. When you have en oyed all the views from the top it’s best to head back to the corner where the toposcope is and go back down the way you came up. Retrace your steps through the kissing gate on the southwest of the hill to then take the first path on the left back to urrough on the Hill village over the fields. nce you are back in the village the Stag Hounds will be calling. Clear signs are just part of the joy of country walking in the UK.
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Will’s Walk ACTIVE INFO
It’s a classic rural footpath from Burrough on the Hill to Thorpe Satchville.
The top of Burrough Hill is the site of a 12-acre iron age hillfort and the period of most intense activity here was between 100BC and 50AD.
Essential information WHERE TO PARK Anywhere responsible in Burrough on the Hill village. DISTANCE Five miles. HIGHLIGHTS The hilltop fortress with toposcope and stunning views and the rolling countryside on the whole walk. LOWLIGHTS There’s not much fresh water around for the dog and the cattle on the top can be a problem. ©Crown copyright 2023 Ordnance Survey. Media 013/23
REFRESHMENTS The Stag & Hounds in Burrough on the Hill and the Stilton Cheese in next door village Somerby. DIFFICULTY RATING Four paws; There are plenty of up and downs before you even get to Burrough Hill. THE POOCH PERSPECTIVE Arable land apart from the cattle on the hilltop but very little fresh water.
START/ FINISH
For your own safety and navigation make sure you have an OS map with you when you go out walking. You won’t regret it.
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Explore with Will’s Walks Enjoy walks around Stamford and Rutland, exploring towns, villages and the open countryside. Some shorter walks of up to four miles and then some real leg stretchers which will tire you and the dog out. Available at www.theactivemag.com or from local stockists
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Active Kids World mental health day STUDENTS AND STAFF at Leicester Grammar Junior School took part in the #HelloYellow theme to mark World Mental Health Day and raise awareness about the importance of taking care of our mental health. They are proud to be a part of the talking task with ITV’s Britain Get Talking and YoungMinds, which encourages children to open up to their parents or trusted adults about the difficult subjects on their minds. Sharing worries has been shown to alleviate stress and reduce anxiety.
Rugby for all STAMFORD SCHOOL RECENTLY welcomed Stamford Rugby Club to their St Paul’s Campus where Stamford Rugby Club Minis played against Stamford Junior School. Children ranging in age from Year 3 to Year 6 (girls and boys) displayed their rugby prowess on the field. The event featured a dynamic mix of touch and contact rugby, with many of the children experiencing their first taste of competitive matches.
Sporting Futures at Oakham OAKHAM SCHOOL WAS delighted to welcome 25 very special guests from the sporting world to its inaugural Sporting Futures event. This was an evening of talks and networking for young people involved in talent pathways and academies. Over 100 young athletes aged between 14 and 16, and their parents, attended from Oakham School and other schools across the country. This unique event provided genuine insight and advice to young people involved in sports talent pathways utilising Oakham School’s considerable experience in the field, as well as that of the visiting speakers. Talks were given about the necessity of learning how to overcome adversity in successful talent development, the environment that students can expect at sports focused universities and the importance of balancing both academic and sporting ambitions when selecting a university as well as sports scholarships. The audience then enjoyed an insightful presentation about transitioning to life outside of sport, keeping options open and the multitude of career options open within the wider sporting world. And then Leicester Tigers Head Coach, Dan McKellar, talked about what professional sports clubs are looking for when recruiting athletes which includes talent, character, work ethic, sacrifice and resilience. Among the group of special guests were two Class of ‘19 Old Oakhamians: Leicester Tigers and England rugby star Jack van Poortvliet and freelance sports journalist Imogen Ainsworth. Five universities and ten talent pathways were represented at the Sporting Futures event as well as ten elite athletes and 32 professional coaches.
November 2023 / theactivemag.com
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Active Kids
Celebrating National Poetry Day TO MARK NATIONAL POETRY Day, Leicester High School for Girls held a special event featuring their own poet laureates. The school’s library was temporarily transformed into a ‘Poetic Clinic,’ where emergency poetry doctors provided attendees with poetic solutions for various emotional states. Championing the idea that literature can heal, comfort and inspire, participants were given custom-tailored poems based on their feelings. And enjoyed delicious cakes too.
Well done Cammie OAKHAM SCHOOL YEAR 11 pupil Cammie has been selected for the Loughborough Lightning Squad. Cammie came to Oakham from an international school in Hong Kong where her rugby talent was first spotted. Last season she was selected to play for the Leicestershire Development Pathway and now has gone one step further by being selected to be part of this season’s Loughborough Lightning squad.
Hockey tournament at Stamford STAMFORD SCHOOL RECENTLY hosted the Under 11s IAPS hockey tournament. This event brought together some of the finest young talents from 14 schools across England. Ultimately, the victors of the tournament were Gresham’s Prep, who beat Witham Hall in the final. Stamford Junior School secured a joint third-place finish.
A first for Leicester High THE YEAR 7 netball team from Leicester High School for Girls have marked a significant milestone this term by making their debut at the Soar Valley Tournament. It was the first time the girls had represented their school. Despite it being their first time at the event it was a resounding success for the Year 7 netball team who played with spirit and pride.
Baby Sensory at Witham Hall School
WITHAM HALL SCHOOL and Baby Sensory Stamford have established a new partnership with weekly classes now taking place in the Witham Hall dance studio. Babies from birth to 13 months old take part in sensory activities specifically designed and structured to aid babies’ development whilst also having lots of fun. Witham is delighted to welcome families from the local community to the school with classes on Fridays during term time. For further information, please visit www.babysensory.com/corby or contact Aduké Thomson on 07521 040465.
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ActiveBody E D I T E D B Y K AT E M A X I M
Dear Men Raj from the Body Store in Leicester talks men’s health
W
e don’t need statistics to tell us that men are less likely to visit their doctor than women. It’s not uncommon for many men to only visit their GP following a health scare. But chaps, it shouldn’t take a health scare to get you to the doctor. Generally speaking, looking after yourself means eating healthily, getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, keeping the bad stu to a minimum, and just being aware of potential health hiccups. You know your body and you know when something doesn’t feel right. And if that’s the case, go to your doctor.
Low testosterone
If something does feel o , one reason for this could be declining levels of testosterone. Male menopause, also called andropause, refers to age-related changes in male hormones, and specifically the drop in testosterone levels that some men experience with age. Compared to menopause in women the hormone drop-o in men is much more gradual, happening over several decades rather than years. If you’re feeling tired, irritable, depressed or are experiencing low libido or erectile dysfunction, your testosterone levels could be low. Other symptoms of low testosterone can include a drop in muscle mass, an increase in body fat, and thinning hair. If symptoms are beginning to a ect your quality of life – such as low libido or erectile dysfunction a ecting your relationship or causing depression – a doctor may prescribe testosterone replacement therapy. But this is something you would need to discuss with your doctor as they will first want to measure your testosterone levels to see if this is the right treatment for you. If it’s not, or you’d rather steer clear of hormone replacement therapy, dietary changes and key nutrients can lend support. Zinc is especially important for testosterone levels with nuts and seeds being great food sources. Or, of course, a supplement can help.
Another pressing matter
You also need to be mindful of your prostate. Located below the bladder it surrounds the urethra which drains the bladder. With age the prostate gland starts to enlarge, slowly squashing the urethra and reducing the amount of space available for urine to pass through. Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) occurs when the prostate grows to an unhealthy size causing difficulty and discomfort when urinating. Symptoms include urinating frequently, difficulty in getting a urine stream going and feeling as if you are unable to empty your bladder properly. With any symptoms of prostate disorder it is hugely important to get an official diagnosis from your doctor to rule out a more serious condition, such as prostate cancer which is still the most common cancer in men over the age of 45. If prostate enlargement is confirmed, a Saw Palmetto supplement may help. The berries of the Saw Palm have been traditionally used to treat symptoms of an enlarged prostate. Many doctors in Austria, Germany and Italy still use Saw Palmetto as their first line of defence against prostate problems. Prostasan Saw Palmetto capsules from A Vogel are shown to relieve urinary symptoms associated with an enlarged prostate in men with a confirmed diagnosis of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia. (Men taking prescribed medicines for BPH or other hormonal imbalances should consult their GP before taking Saw Palmetto). Once again, zinc is also important. It is more abundant in the prostate than anywhere else in the body and deficiency is common in men with prostate problems.
A nod to your noggin
Finally, whilst we might be much better today at looking after our cognitive cogs than we were 20, 10, or even five years ago, our mental health, just like our physical wellbeing, needs constant monitoring and support. It’s so important to talk about what makes us feel sad, stressed, depressed or anxious, be this to a friend, family member, GP or support organisation. There are also steps you can take to help calm your mind and prevent anxiety from taking over. Listen to your body’s responses and question your thought patterns. Negative thoughts can be quick to take root and if given a voice for long enough can distort the severity of a situation. Recognise the thought for what it is and try to turn it down in your mind. Calm your breathing. Take fewer but deeper breaths to optimise your oxygen intake, which will help you to remain calm. Go for a walk. Physical exercise causes the brain to produce endorphins to cheer you up. If you can, surround yourself with nature. Green spaces activate a primitive part of the brain involved with stress regulatory responses. Just 10 minutes a day can help you to feel better. If you’re still feeling anxious try A Vogel’s assiflora Complex Spray. It’s a gentle, non-addictive blend of herbs for those needing to relax. It combines assiflora and Lemon Balm. It’s also ideal for using on-the-go. St John’s Wort or hyperiforce can also be used for feelings of low mood and mild anxiety. But check with your GP if on prescribed medicines. For further information call 0116 269 4348.
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ActiveBody
Happy Feet Foot pain can be really debilitating and frustrating. Physiotherapists can help. Sarah Babbs explains
F
OOT PAIN CAN be a very frustrating issue as we are generally on our feet for a good part of the day, every day. We need feet to walk, run, climb, cycle, basically all the fun stu as well as ust keeping mobile. As with most conditions that come through the physiotherapy door, many problems are caused by changes in how we load our bodies. Often the changes made have been ust too much, too soon, too fast, too heavy, too far, etc. ur bones and oints and the soft tissues such as muscles and the tendons supporting them are always working and remodelling to accommodate the load we put through them. Hence, someone body building with weights will show visible change in muscle bulk. Less obvious is bone density which can be improved by loading the bones with
hopping, skipping and weight work. However, if we overload, the body can’t tolerate this and tissue becomes inflamed and ultimately can fail. Extreme examples are muscle tears and stress fractures. As far as the feet are concerned, one condition with which people are familiar is plantar fasciitis. The plantar fascia is a band of tissue that passes from the base of the heel spreading out towards the base to the toes. It provides support and stability to the foot when weight bearing including the arch of the foot. If overloaded it can become painful. That pain is often worse when putting the foot on the ground first thing in the morning or after prolonged sitting, when the tissue is asked to stretch and take weight. As you walk it ‘warms up’ and becomes more comfortable for a while until prolonged activity can make it more painful again.
As always overloading, ie more walking or running than usual can cause the problem as well as sudden changes of surface. For example, hard shoe soles or a city break involving more pavement walking than usual. Some people have more specific heel pain, known as Policeman’s Heel (named for being more common in the police force who usually stand and walk more than most other professions). Plantar fasciitis can also be because of poor movement at the big toe oint. If this movement is restricted the tissue is not able to properly perform what is known as the Windlass mechanism which tightens the fascia creating stability and support for the arch. The condition can be managed in the short term with massage including rolling a golf ball or cold can along the bottom of the foot. The cold is lovely in the very short term as it makes the tissue more numb! Using taping or orthoses to support the foot can be very helpful when the pain is acute. Managing the load is important so try stopping running or doing other aggravating factors for a short time. Then build back up guided by symptoms. Take it more slowly if pain returns. During the time o doing specific strengthening exercises is vital so that the foot tolerates the new loading and stops the symptoms from returning as soon as one tries to return to normal living. Current research shows the Rathle method to be the most successful. This consists of a type of heel raise with the big toe supported in an extended position on a towel to stretch as you strengthen. Done every other day, with increasing sets over a 12 week period, this regime has proved the most e ective at a 12 month follow up when compared with other treatments. When returning to running it is always important to build up gently. My favourite method is walk/run cycles with runs lengthening in time over a few weeks. This is the basis of the Couch to 5k series, meant for beginners but can be adapted for any standard of runner. There are other conditions which can mimic the pain such as stress fractures through the heel. Getting a correct diagnosis via your physiotherapist is always the best place to start. To contact Sarah ring 07780 900201.
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Football, rugby, cricket and Morris dancing – not something you expect to see in this column but we are nothing if not diverse and inclusive. Jeremy Smithson-Beswick explains
H
ERE’S A HEADLINE you don’t read every day, but Stamford have drawn Liverpool in the cup. OK, it’s not quite what it might seem, their opposition being City of Liverpool FC rather than that lot at Anfield Road, and the competition is the FA trophy rather than its big brother, but who knows? Maybe in a few years’ time. They were in the hat for the draw due to their fourth win in the competition against Hitchin Town, 3-2, with their goals coming from Jack Du y (2 and Trey Charles. This was after a rare run of four consecutive defeats across all competitions which saw them drop to fifth in the league, so they’ll be pleased they’ve steadied the ship somewhat in October. Harborough Town are also still in the same competition, having recently beaten Biggleswade 2-1. The next round is regarded as the Trophy ‘proper,’ the ties to date seen as qualifiers, and it’s the first time in their
history that the Bees have reached this far. The draw has been relatively kind and they will face Avro FC of Oldham, standing every chance of progressing yet further with home advantage and their opponents being from the same tier in the hierarchy. With a pleasing asymmetry (for them to Stamford they’ve been on a five match-winning streak. The most eye-catching result of last month however belonged to Deeping Rangers who trounced Huntingdon Town 9-1, and playing away to boot. Not only did the home side have to endure a hat trick from Tom Waumsley, two from Spencer Tinkler and one each from Joe Cole (no relation – I think and Tom Smith, they also had to su er the indignity of conceding not one but two own goals. The biggest event in the local rugby scene to report was the Oakham Stamford derby. Oaks’ young side have struggled a little of late whereas Stamford is flying high,
currently second in the table, so the latter were strong favourites despite Oaks’ home advantage. However, after some early pressure from the visitors an Oakham interception led to the first try of the match, before Stamford returned the compliment with an interception of their own to level. A penalty to them (and a yellow card for aks followed to make it 7-10 at the break. Oaks drew level with a penalty early in the second period but the key score of the game went to Stamford’s Dan Heard with a try, converted, to bring it to 10-17. They followed that e ort with another before Oaks pegged them back, the home side then playing some of their best rugby towards the end of the match in a valiant attempt to salvage something. But, alas, they were unable to trouble the scorer before the final whistle to leave the tally at 15-24. Stamford’s Women’s side is rivalling their
Image: Darren Dolby
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ActiveSport Image: Gordon Blunt
‘Our very own Rutland Morris is on a recruitment drive and it’s particularly deserving of your consideration as the county has played a crucial part in keeping this six hundred year tradition alive.’ clubmates’ success by also claiming second place in their own league table after three games. They had a whopping win away at Mellish Ladies by 17-50, a somewhat more comfortable score line than their opening win away to Sleaford, 32-31. The cricket season is now well and truly over for another year but I have one last piece of news to share before it returns in the spring. Some twenty miles from Uppingham lies the sleepy village of Fleckney, for whose side Frank Smith turns out every weekend, travelling across the county from his home in Coalville to play, which he’s been doing since 1976. Frank is 77, which is notable enough, but on the last game of the season he formed
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one half of what must be an all time record, with fellow club member George also bowling and batting in the same side. George is 7 years old. Chris Walsh, the club’s welfare officer, said neighbouring villages had crack sides they find it difficult to compete with so had decided to focus on inclusivity. ‘Everyone’s welcome, anyone can play from all walks of life, genders, abilities, you name it we’ll have you’. Now then, here’s a suitably left-field suggestion to get some of you more ‘active’ – that being our raison d’être here at the mag after all - Morris Dancing. Our very own Rutland Morris is on a
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recruitment drive and it’s particularly deserving of your consideration as the county has played a crucial part in keeping this six hundred year tradition alive. In the 1900s when its popularity plummeted and so many performers were killed in the Great War, it was close to dying out forever. Fortunately, old Uppinghamian Cecil Sharp made it his business to record as many of the songs and dances for posterity before they were lost for all time, something of which us locals should be proud. To this day he is known as the father of modern day Morris. Now the practice is flourishing again, there are many reasons to get involved. As they say themselves in their promotional material, ‘you’ll struggle to find a friendlier bunch.’ Then there’s the Après-Morris – lots of beer and great pubs – fitness, fun and the satisfaction of keeping an ancient tradition alive. And that’s not to mention the dashing hats, bells, ribbons and sticks – and baldricks (yes, he was named after them). I persuaded this doughty troupe (free beer and a couple of hundred quid to their charity fund seemed to do it) to dance at my wedding a few years ago. The spectacle, and the hilarious participation from ‘volunteers’ amongst our guests (and yours truly) was an unforgettable highlight of the day. Rehearsals and inductions take place every Monday evening from 8pm at Ashwell Village Hall. The leader of the side, or Squire, is ex-Uppingham mayor Dave Casewell. He told me ‘the practice sessions are sociable and stress free’ with an opportunity to ‘rehydrate’ afterwards at an appropriate establishment. Just show up or email to let them know you’re coming. There’s also a ‘Try Morris’ workshop for all comers on 21 January. Visit www.morrismen.org for contact details and any questions.
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ActiveSport
SOUTH WITHAM WYMONDHAM CASTLE BYTHAM EDMONDTHORPE
ROUTE Distance: 27.55 mi Elevation: 1,120 ft
TEIGH
CLIPSHAM
STRETTON GREETHAM
ASHWELL
T START / FINISH
On your bike! This month Gary Waterfall rides an undulating 27 miles starting from The Barnsdale including 1,100ft of climb overall.
HIS ROUTE COVERS some of my favourite roads around Rutland. Leave The Barnsdale and head north up The Avenue past Hambleton Bakery before turning right to cut the corner and join the road to Greetham. Follow the road through Greetham before turning right at the roundabout and pass under the A1 and through Stretton. Head up the gentle incline into Clipsham and, still climbing, past Yew Tree Avenue before tackling the undulations to Castle Bytham. Turn left at the crossroads and follow the road back under the A1 and into South Witham. Head out of South Witham on the same road all the way to Wymondham and then turn left as you enter the village. Stay on this road through Teigh and Ashwell until you get to the roundabout past the old prison. Turn left at the roundabout and head back up the hill to join the main road turning left. Then turn right to go past the Falconry centre and then at the T junction turn right back on to the Avenue and to The Barnsdale where you can enjoy some well deserved refreshments. https://www.strava.com/ routes/3144216288754146690 Or scan the QR code
Use it or Lose it, keep your brain and body active
Second helpings, a group helping reduce food waste
Winter walks with Will
Meet superfood skincare expert Lisa Armitage We try out a ‘god pod’
Meet the founders of WildDog Events
Find out about social prescribing
Find out about girls’ and women’s cricket at Leicestershire CC
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