Shropshire. We’ve got you covered.
• Selling and renting for you 7 days a week
• Available 8.00am – 8.00pm Monday to Friday
• Professional and qualified team with over 180 years of collective experience
• Prominent offices in Shrewsbury, Wem and Oswestry
• A free, no-obligation valuation and marketing appraisal
• And most importantly competitive no sale –no charge commission
Find us at our three Shropshire offices in Shrewsbury, Wem & Oswestry
We absolutely love food, and with so many enticing spots to visit across Shropshire, where do we start?
There’s a lot to be said for cooking from scratch and using lovely quality ingredients – it does make a difference. Even buying locally reared meat adds to the whole experience. Eating out can be a treat or a weekly occurrence, luckily we have a catalogue across the county of places to visit locally to satisfy taste buds.
Check out the Shropshire Good Food Trail for some ideas – the summer holidays are looking delicious!
Have a great summer.
Victoria McKenna EDITOR
It’s Beautiful
7 Lower Brook Street, Oswestry, Shropshire, SY11 2HG Telephone: 07986 293294
Joint Managing Directors David Lee-Birch david@oswestrylife.co.uk
Tracy Leonard tracy@oswestrylife.co.uk
Editor Victoria McKenna victoria@oswestrylife.co.uk
Production Designer Aileen Selkirk aileen@oswestrylife.co.uk
Advertising info@itsbeautiful.co.uk
Editorial info@itsbeautiful.co.uk
Feel amazing, inside and out.
At Elite Skin Studio we combine our 40+ years knowledge of skin, advanced treatment technology and carefully selected product offerings to create your personalised journey towards improving your skin confidence.
Specialists in skincare, permanent hair removal and blemish removal
ENDYMED Radiofrequency Skin Tightening
IPL IllumiFacial
SkinPen Microneedling
CACI Non Surgical Facelift
Cynosure Laser Hair Removal
Summer offer
Receive a complimentary Skin Analysis Consultation worth £30 when you book a Bespoke Clinical Facial this season.
Quote: 'It's Beautiful' when booking.
01952 814200 | 30A High Street, Newport,
Sun, Sea Sandals&
Are you already planning your footwear for your holiday? Or maybe you’re in need of a new pair of sandals this season. We found so many options, it was hard to choose! Platforms, strappy, comfy, embroidered, we’ve done the hard work for you and found some beauties to inspire your summer break.
Meldon Embroidered Flatform Sandal In Ivory £65.50, www.fatface.com
Far right: Sunset By The Bay Mules £28, www.joebrown.co.uk
to night
bit of height
Beth Sandal In Navy £45.50, www.fatface.com
Top left: Catwalk Double Strap Sandals £27.99, www.deichmann.com
Above: Gold Two Part Flatform Sandals £75, www.oliverbonas.com
Left: Ledge Sandal in Camel £95, www.dunelondon.com
Left:
Right:
What’s your tone?
Summer is the perfect time to refresh your look and embrace new hair trends that will give you a sunny, carefree style for the season. Whether you’re looking to make a bold statement or simply enhance your natural beauty, remember that the key to a great look is confidence.
This summer’s hair trends offer something for everyone. Whether you opt for the soft and natural tones of creamy blonde, the playful and expressive pastel colours, or the warm and glowing sun-kissed brunette, the most important thing is to feel great about your hair.
Creamy
Blonde: soft and buttery tones
Creamy blonde is all about that soft, natural look that screams effortless style. This trend blends multiple shades of blonde for a creamy, seamless finish, mainly focusing around the face. The result? Hair that looks naturally sun-kissed with a laid-back Australian beach vibe. It’s feminine and flattering on many skin tones. Plus, the softness of the shades makes it easy to maintain and lets it grow out gracefully. For that perfect creamy blonde, ask your stylist to mix warm high lift blonde with violet and oatmeal tones for a glowing finish. Pair it with loose, beachy waves or a natural dried texture to nail that summer vibe.
Pastel Tones:
fun and expressive
If you’re ready to make a fun and bold statement, pastel tones are the way to go. Add a flash of baby pink, lavender or peach to your hair for a fun and playful look. Pastel tones are perfect for those who want to experiment with colour without committing to a permanent change.
One of the biggest advantages of pastel tones is their versatility. You can choose to go all out with a full pastel colour or opt for subtle for a more understated look. Consider hidden pastel panels that pop out with movement of your hair or a concentrated face framing sections for a bolder statement.
Pastel tones are a great way to express your unique style and creativity. They’re customised to suit you, making each look completely yours. Pastel colours tend to fade, allowing you to enjoy different colours over a short time.
Sun-Kissed Brunette: warming golds and peach tones
Brunettes are livening up this season, adding some soft golden, copper and peach tones to join in the summer fun. This natural sun-kissed look radiates warmth and gives depth to the darker shades. This trend is all about adding subtle highlights that mimic the natural lightening effect of the sun.
Sun-kissed brunette is perfect for those who want to enhance even the darker hair colours without a drastic change. The gold and peach tones add a soft, glowing effect that brightens up your overall look. Placing strategic highlights around your face will frame your features beautifully.
This trend is perfect for those with darker hair who want to add some lighter tones but don’t want the maintenance of blonde. The gentle highlights create a beautiful multi-tone effect that looks both natural and polished. It’s a lowmaintenance option that grows out easily, making it ideal for those with busy lifestyles.
Summer is a time for fun, freedom, and self-expression. Let these trends inspire you
to try something new and embrace the season with a fresh, new look. With the right style and good hair care, your hair will be your best accessory, helping you to shine bright all summer long.
Lucy Murphy, Salon owner and founder of OWN IT hair care. For more hair care advice follow our social media: @own_it_uk @the_salon_shrewsbury
SuMMer 2024 Makeup
This summer season, makeup trends are all about celebrating individuality, enhancing natural beauty, and experimenting with vibrant hues. From dewy skin to bold eye makeup, here’s a short guide to the makeup trends that will dominate summer ‘24.
Dewy, Glowing Skin
The dewy skin trend continues to reign supreme in 2024. This look focuses on achieving a natural, radiant complexion that appears effortlessly hydrated and healthy. To create this look, start with a hydrating primer to create a smooth base. Something containing hyaluronic acid will be your best bet here.
Follow up with a lightweight, luminous foundation or a tinted moisturiser that allows your skin to breathe while providing just enough coverage. Ideally this will have an SPF built in (ideally factor 50 for your face). The key is to enhance your skin’s natural glow rather than covering it up. Highlighters with a subtle shimmer can be applied to the high points of the face, such as the cheekbones, brow bones, and the bridge of the nose, to achieve that ethereal glow. Cream-based products are particularly popular this season, as they blend seamlessly into the skin for a more natural finish.
Bold, Bright eyeshadows
Summer 2024 is all about embracing bold and bright eyeshadows that make a statement. Vivid colours like electric blue, neon green, and fiery orange are making a comeback, encouraging makeup lovers to step out of their comfort zones. These vibrant shades can be applied as a wash of colour across the eyelids or used to create graphic eyeliner looks. Experimenting with different textures, such as metallics and shimmers, can add an extra dimension to your eye makeup. For a more playful approach, consider incorporating pastel hues like lavender, mint, and baby pink, which offer a softer yet equally eye-catching alternative. The key is to have fun and let your creativity shine through.
Glossy Lips
Glossy lips have been making a major comeback this year, offering a fresh and youthful alternative to the matte lip trend that has dominated in recent years. Lip glosses in sheer, tinted, and high-shine finishes are taking centre stage, providing a juicy, plump look that complements the dewy skin trend. Opt for lip glosses that contain nourishing ingredients like hyaluronic acid and vitamin E to keep your
lips hydrated and smooth. For a more natural look, choose a gloss that matches your lip colour, or go for a clear gloss to add shine without altering your natural hue. For those who prefer a bolder look, bright shades like coral, fuchsia, and red are perfect for making a statement.
Natural Brows
The natural-brow trend continues to gain momentum in 2024. Rather than over-plucking or heavily filling in the brows, the focus is on enhancing their natural beauty in terms of both shape and texture. Use a brow gel to brush your brows into place, giving them a feathered and fluffy appearance. If you need to fill in sparse areas, opt for a brow pencil or powder that matches your natural brow colour and use light, feathery strokes to mimic the appearance of real hairs. The goal is to achieve a polished yet effortless look that frames the face beautifully.
Monochromatic Makeup
Monochromatic makeup is a trend that simplifies the makeup routine while creating a cohesive and harmonious look. This trend involves using a single colour palette across the eyes, cheeks, and lips. This summer, warm tones like peach, terracotta, and rose are particularly popular. To achieve this look, choose a cream or powder product that can be used on multiple areas of the face. For example, a peachy blush can double as an eyeshadow and a lip tint, creating a seamless and unified appearance. Monochromatic makeup is perfect for those who want a put-together look without spending too much time on their makeup routine. Remember, the best makeup trend is the one that makes you feel confident and beautiful, so don’t be afraid to experiment and find what works best for you. If you feel you don’t know what suits you, then get in touch. I offer group and 1-2-1 lessons, so I’m always on hand to help.
For more information visit www.carolinecamber.com or call 07814 442041
Award winning alternative aesthetic skin practitioner opens clinic in Oswestry
by Emma Roberts
Tucked away inside the very impressive Hi-Style hair salon in Church Street OSWESTRY (very close to the exquisitely refurbished Wynnstay Hotel) you will find Improve Your Skin aesthetic clinic headed by the experienced, extremely warm and personable awardwinning skin practitioner Denise Evans.
Denise has over 35 years experience as a skin specialist and was trained in Harley Street London and thankfully for anyone nearby—despite being courted by Harvey Nichols—she has arrived in Oswestry and decided to call it home to her flourishing business.
I was introduced to her by a friend, as at 59 years old I felt like the time was right to start thinking about a possible face lift and my friend said “go and see Denise first”.
Im so glad I did … Denise has a prescriptive approach to each person who visits her. For one person she might feel Laser therapy is the secret to their facial restoration (she has one of the most expensive ‘medical grade’ laser light therapy machines in the country) for another it might be Green Peel treatments (research the treatments by Dr Med. Christine Schrammer, whose results so inspired Denise) alongside pioneering light therapy. Other clients may be prescribed a touch of botox and minimal fillers, another given advice on rehydrating and various bespoke products. For me it was an interesting prescription which gave quick and very successful results. I’ve never thought about light therapy, but after three Green Peel treatments followed by a 25 minute light therapy, it seemed to regenerate any collagen that was left in my ageing face and bring it back to life. I’d had a dabble here and there with fillers and botox but Denise gently and tactfully suggested we perhaps undo some of that work and look at peel treatments alongside light therapy to thoroughly prep my skin ensuring a good enough condition for her ‘thread lift treatment’ heralded as the ‘non surgical facelift’…
After a few weeks of ‘preparation’ I decided to go ahead with her facial threads treatment and was overjoyed with the results. It was an hour appointment and although I can describe it as ‘uncomfortable’, I took no time off work and recovered with minimal bruising … I was astounded by the results.
The country is overrun with so called ‘aesthetic practitioners’ but Denise is the real deal. Her 35 years experience shows immediately, she knows her stuff and is concerned (as I am) at the many aspiring business women who can walk into an ‘aesthetic’ centre and come out only days later apparently ‘trained’ to inject into your face!
The country is overrun with so called ‘aesthetic practitioners’ but Denise is the real deal. Her 35 years experience shows immediately
“I have seen far too many over-frozen and over-filled faces lately, and had to do too much correction work … Your face is so precious whatever age it is, please do your research before you place it in the hands of an aspiring aestheticnewcomer who’s just paid to be trained exchanging money for overnight qualifications, I have been achieving beautiful facial results for many decades and I can assess exactly what the best treatment is so you can look like the best version of you”, says Denise ...and do you know what... I believe her.
Denise’s consultation is so thorough you feel like she knows every inch of you by the end of it … she talks through every single treatment she offers and how she relies less and less on the present ‘go to’ botulinum and restylane and more on her own prescriptive treatments developed over decades of being ‘up close and personal’ to thousands of faces. The beauty of a visit to Denise is that you know she will reach into the plethora of treatments available to her and pick the ones that suit you … bespoke in other words …. for me it was undoing some past treatments and getting my face back to how it looked a good few years ago.
Not normally a particularly trusting person, I felt different around Denise - I trusted her implicitly. Her skin has a youthful glow and plumpness despite her years (over 60 apparently although you would never guess).
Treatments start from as little as £50 and procedures such as threads treatment can be up to £1000 but I would advise that every penny spent with her is worth it. If you’re seriously considering radical anti aging skin procedures you could save yourself the misery and trauma not to mention the £15000 price tag that comes with a UK facelift with a few visits to Denise right here in Oswestry, and achieve great results … trust me I did it.
Welcome to Improve Your Skin, Oswestry, founded by Denise Evans. At Improve Your Skin, we strive to bring you the latest and the most advanced skincare treatments.
TREATMENTS
❋ Omnilux Revive Plus Light Therapy
❋ Dr Med. Christine Schrammer’s Green Peels
❋ Bio Filler (your own natural filler)
❋ Dermal Fillers
❋ PDO Cog Threat face lift
❋ Radio Frequency/ Micro-Needling lift
TREATMENTS
❋ Anti- Wrinkle injections
❋ Platelet Rich Fibrin (PRF)
Regenerative Skin Treatments
❋ Lumi Eyes
❋ Tattoo Removal
❋ Laser Skin Rejuvenation
❋ Profhilo Treatments
Do your Denim Different
Denim looks good on everyone and the style options available this season mean we all get a look in. Whether it’s a different colour or cut, you can find a unique look to fit your personality. Have fun with it because denim can be glamorous too.
Right: Blouson Sleeve Denim Midi Dress £55, www.very.co.uk
Ecru Denim Jumpsuit £66, www.next.co.uk
Above: Blue Denim Crop Trophy
£50, www.riverisland.com
Above: Blue Mid Rise Drawstring Wide Leg Jeans £40, www.riverisland.com
Below: Loells Denim Sandals £95, www.dunelondon.com
Orange Plait Pocket Denim Jacket £70, www.oliverbonas.com
www.riverisland.com
Jacket
Above:
Right: Blue Lace Hem Crop Denim Shirt £45,
The Wellbeing Pod
helping you rebalance and feel better in yourself on a physical, mental, emotional and spiritual level.
Working with clients on a 1:2:1 basis, Gail offers therapies such as crystal healing, reiki, yoga, meditation, mindfulness and coaching. Full and half day retreats, bespoke to each individual client to include any of the above treatments along with relaxation time in the established garden or a guided canal walk in the surrounding countryside.
Telephone: 07917 787617
Email gail.meridianlife@gmail.com www.meridianlife.co.uk Instagram and Facebook: /ameridianlife
Sara Hadfield, McTimoney Chiropractor
BSc (Hons) Chiro MMCA GCC Reg No 02362
Ann Williams, McTimoney Chiropractor
MChiro MMCA GCC Reg No 04118
Ian Staniforth, Massage Therapist
Release years of chronic pain and emotions for a full body reset
Physical and emotional tension can build up over years, whether that’s from stress, historic injuries, a busy life - a million and one reasons. Sometimes we think, ‘well, that’s just the way it is and it’s going to be forever’. But living with the restrictions that this tension causes doesn’t need to be permanent.
Lana Walker, owner of Body and Mind Holistics, is Shrewsbury’s only massage specialist in Emmett Muscle Release Therapy and combines a variety of advanced bodywork techniques (acupressure, myofascial release, holistic massage, tapping) to gently, yet profoundly, enable you to release the tightness and stiffness that your body is holding onto.
Explaining what might happen during a session, Lana says, “My clients experience big changes and shifts in the way their body feels, the way the body holds them, and the way they feel about their body. Clients feel amazed that they can feel so different after just one session. Traditional massage is great, and I’ll always include that in my treatments where I can, but using even more effective ways of getting the muscles and tissues to release is truly lifeenhancing.”
Along with letting go of muscular issues and pain, sometimes there is an emotional shift too, which makes sense as our bodies literally hold onto the imprint of every experience we’ve been through in our life, good and bad. Emotional release doesn’t have to mean floods of tears, it can be as gentle as seeing things from a different perspective, that then changes how we feel and engage with people and events in our life.
Lana provides bespoke treatments that really help you. Whether that’s with a really good back/
“Using even more effective ways of getting the muscles and tissues to release is truly life-enhancing.”
neck/shoulder massage from a stressful job and lots of computer work, or by finally feeling ready to release the restrictions and tightness you’ve been carrying for years.
Specialist oncology and pregnancy massage also available. Book an appointment now by visiting www.bodyandmindholistics.co.uk or call 07887 741421.
Body and Mind Holistics, 11 Dymond Drive, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY2 6FY
19 - 21 July 2024
Immerse yourself in the ancient art of storytelling.
We have an amazing line up of artists including...
● Storytellers - Len Cabral, Shonaleigh, Sahand Sahebdivani
● Musicians - Ciderhouse Rebellion and Jesse Summerhayes (poet), Dan Walsh, Time Bandits
Plus lots more on our website & more to be announced!
● Dedicated children’s programme and circus activities
● International & top-class performers alongside emerging talent
● Exciting workshops and activities including: storytelling and music, tai chi, story rounds, and much more
● Excellent locally sourced food and ales in our Speakeasy bar
● Late night story sessions around the firepit
For more information: www.festivalattheedge.org email:
tel: 07544 044 126
*Photo Credits: Len Cabral Jim Hooper, Shonaleigh Katherine Betteridge
*Len Cabral
Dan Walsh
Ciderhouse Rebellion Sahand Sahebdivani
Time Bandits
*Shonaleigh
Auntie Emmie’s suitcase:
A war-time service-life unpacked
By Dr Robert MacKinnon, Soldiers of Shropshire Museum
A forthcoming display at Soldiers of Shropshire Museum attempts to tell the revealing First World War story of Shrewsbury’s Emmie Chester, from contents of her precious suitcase.
Scanning Auntie Emmie’s attic with torchlight, a time-worn leather suitcase caught Susan’s eye. Emmie would regularly retrieve the suitcase from the attic, but its contents were never shared. Opening it up carefully, Susan was presented with material traces of a personal story Auntie Emmie had only vaguely and fragmentally revealed. The suitcase formed, protected and hid a personal archive of mementoes relating to a particular time in Emmie’s life: service in France with the Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps (WAAC) during and just after the First World War (1914-18).
At Soldiers of Shropshire Museum, we have been delighted to become custodians of items from Auntie Emmie’s suitcase, including photographs, documents, souvenirs and medals. The suitcase unfortunately disintegrated many years ago whilst the personal letters and postcards it enclosed
remain with Susan. Denby and I, both collections volunteers at the museum, have been excited and busy preparing an exhibit with a suitcase prop that attempts to unpack Emmie’s story. Here, we take a look at Emmie’s life in the WAAC and how one particular object may reflect a reassertion of traditional gender roles, cutting short a promising army career for Emmie.
Women’s mobilisation for war
High casualty rates on the Western Front by 1916 and the associated need to use men undertaking noncombat military work, prompted the British government to employ women as ‘auxiliary’ workers within the army. We think Emmie undertook clerical work, her specialism before joining the WAAC where she was employed by ‘Philips’, a prominent Shrewsbury-based grocery and provisions business.
Emmie Chester was born in 1893. She had four brothers and three sisters and enjoyed a comfortable upbringing in Belle Vue, Shrewsbury, before joining the WAAC
in June 1917. Curiously, her letter of acceptance from the National Service Department was sent to a friend’s address. Emmie may have been trying to hide momentarily from her family the intention of joining. Months later, Emmie’s father apologised for “being a selfish old man…but it was hard to part” What led Emmie to join the WAAC? The archive is highly fragmentary and without her animation of it and family knowledge poses just as many questions as it does answers! Higher wages, travel and/or a sense of civic duty may have been factors.
Rouen
Emmie was quickly sent to Rouen in France, a city and important military centre for British and Commonwealth forces. Through a petition for better WAAC hostel living conditions, Emmie and her colleagues suffered, for a while at least, from a lack of food and heating. Emmie undertook clerical work we think for the ‘3rd Echelon General Headquarters’, an administrative branch of the army
Left: The Blighty Girls
Below: Emmie’s acceptance letter
Right: Emmie aged 16 and Emmie’s War Medal, Victory Medal and WAAC Badges
that dealt with records, casualties and reinforcements. Emmie would have faced and dealt with the violent realities of war daily. The archive is silent on Emmie at work, but very rich on Emmie ‘at play’. She sought and enjoyed an active social and cultural life, evidenced through dance cards, cinema tickets, theatre and exhibition programmes. She developed a friendship group with several WAAC colleagues, nicknamed ‘the Blighty Girls’. Their picture would be displayed by Emmie until she died in 1988.
Derwen College’s awardwinning charity shop offers shoppers a range of preloved bargains. Our customers enjoy browsing and buying stylish clothing and accessories, homewares and books, whilst our students gain valuable skills working in retail.
Relax in the warm, friendly atmosphere for morning coffee, light lunches or afternoon snacks at the Walled Garden Café. During the warmer months, you can also enjoy our outside seating area, and children’s play area, as well as enjoying a stroll through our awardwinning Walled Garden.
Around autumn 1917, Emmie met George MacKenzie, an energetic, cheerful Australian entertainer in the Australian Army. Through an inherited opal engagement ring, Susan has deduced Emmie and George became engaged. The relationship fizzled out by mid-1919 for reasons unknown though the suitcase contained a heartfelt letter from another young man and research by Susan has revealed George was already married! When George visited London in 1922 and 1945 Emmie declined to meet, although contrastingly she kept a picture of him by her bedside until her death and enclosed in a silver frame.
Domesticity
In April 1919, Emmie was invited to work as a permanent member of army staff in Switzerland. The next monthand an item from the suitcase - a telegram - arrived
for Emmie: ‘MOTHER I’LL COME AT ONCE NO ONE AT HOME, - COPE’. She quickly came to Shrewsbury. Answering the door was her mother who was fine! Susan’s mother believed ‘the family were determined to claim Emmie back before it was too late’. Emmie was likely pushed to re-enter the domestic sphere and look after her mother and father. For many women, having mobilised for war and having experienced a large degree of economic and social independence, traditional and unequal gender relations were to reassert themselves post-war. Emmie resigned from the WAAC several months later, removing from her uniform and preserving in her suitcase WAAC buttons and a cap badge.
Emmie lived with and cared for her mother and father until their deaths in 1936 and 1949 respectfully.
Items from Aunt Emmie’s suitcase will be on display at Soldiers of Shropshire Museum shortly. Visit www.soldiersofshropshire.co.uk for dates or follow on Instagram @ soldiersofshropshiremuseum.
Derwen Marketplace offers students fabulous real-life work experience opportunities – and you, a fabulous shopping experience.
Open daily Come and visit us!
Tel: 01691 661234 www.derwen.ac.uk
The Orangery restaurant is located in the historic Edwardian house – originally purchased for Agnes Hunt’s rehabilitation training centre – The Derwen Training College. Here, physically disabled young people could learn a trade suitable to their disability to become either partially or wholly selfsupporting.
The Orangery now serves as a training restaurant for our hospitality and food students, offering quality meals for customers.
Our garden centre offers a wide variety of plants, shrubs and trees along with advice and tips on care and planting. We are also honoured to be one of the specially selected outlets to sell the exquisite David Austin Roses.
What is parental responsibility and hoW could it affect you?
Big decisions like choosing which school a child will attend can be difficult for parents to agree onand even more so if the parents live separately from each other.
The legal term parental responsibility is an important thing for separated parents to understand because it can have a huge impact on how decisions are made.
Laura Jones and Staci Robinson, family lawyers from Lanyon Bowdler Solicitors, which has offices across Shropshire and Herefordshire, explain what parental responsibility is and how it might affect you and your children.
Laura says, “The term parental responsibility means the legal rights, duties and obligations that parents have towards their children. Day-to-day decisions can be taken by a single person with parental responsibility, but important decisions about things like education, health, travelling abroad and religious upbringing, must be taken collectively by all holders of parental responsibility.”
a disagreement about taking a child abroad for a holiday. Now, assuming there are no court orders in place, neither parent can take a child out of England and Wales without consent from the other.
Our People, Your Team
Here to Help
Laura and Staci describe some common issues in the latest edition of Lanyon Bowdler’s Legal Lounge podcast, which is available on the firm’s website at www.lblaw. co.uk and across all podcAast providers.
We continue to offer meetings via telephone and video and where necessary we are able to offer face to face appointments, please use our letterbox when dropping off documents.
Staci says, “We often encounter parents who can’t agree on where their children should go to school, due to issues like location or the school’s reputation. It’s vital that a parent does not decide to change their child’s school on their own because these types of decisions need the express consent of anyone who holds parental responsibility for that child.
Legal services including:
• Agriculture
• Business Law
• Family Law
• Clinical Negligence
• Court of Protection
“Another common issue we see, especially during school holidays, is
• Disputes
“We also tend to advise a parent when travelling abroad, with the permission of the other parent, that they should obtain written confirmation that the other parent/person with parental responsibility has provided the consent to travel, together with a copy of the child’s birth certificate to avoid issues at passport control if their child has a different surname to them.”
Parental responsibility organically diminishes as a child gets older and terminates automatically when the child reaches the age of 18, and Laura says it can only be removed in certain circumstances.
• Education
• Employment Law
• Motoring & Crime
“Unless a child is adopted, parental responsibility cannot be removed from a biological mother and it’s extremely rare for it to be removed from a father,” she says. “The circumstances would need to be exceptional and in the best
• Personal Injury
• Property & Planning
• Wills, Trusts & Probate
interests of the child, such as abusive behaviour or withholding consent for lifesaving medical treatment.”
So, what are the options if you want to go abroad on holiday with your child, but the other holder of parental responsibility will not give their consent?
Staci says, “Firstly, we would advise trying alternative dispute resolution, such as mediation sessions. If mediation is not suitable you can speak to a family lawyer about other available avenues outside of court to try and reach agreement.
“However, if an agreement cannot be reached, the final course of action is to apply to the court for a Specific Issue Order or a Prohibited Steps Order.
Contact us: 39 - 41 Church Street, Oswestry, Shropshire, SY11 2SZ 01691 652241
“A Specific Issue Order is granted by the court to address a specific issue which cannot be agreed upon, whilst a Prohibited Steps Order can be issued to prevent an action being taken by a parent which the court believes is harmful to a child, such as removing them from school.”
info@lblaw.co.uk www.lblaw.co.uk
Laura Jones (left) and Staci Robinson (right).
Company car benefits and exemptions for 2024/25
Most employers and employees are aware of the additional costs of providing company cars and the tax implications they create. However, for many employees the attraction of having a company car means that in spite of any tax disadvantages, this remains a popular option.
It’s worth noting that not all hybrid cars have the assumed 2% percentage for company car benefits. If CO2 emissions remain within 1 to 50g/km then the percentage can range from 2% to 14% dependent on the electric mileage range. This is the distance the car can go on electric power before its batteries need recharging. As hybrid cars have a higher list price compared to the equivalent petrol or diesel car, it usually creates a higher value of BIK, so it’s worth taking this into consideration when choosing a car.
Where employees are provided with fuel for their own private use by their employers, the car fuel benefit charge is applicable. The fuel benefit charge is determined by reference to the CO2 rating of the car, applied to a fixed amount. The car fuel benefit charge for 2024/25 is £27,800. The fuel benefit is not applicable when the employee pays for all their private fuel use.
The standard benefit charge for private use of a company van is currently £3,960. A company van is defined as ‘a van made available to an employee by reason of their employment’. There is an additional van fuel benefit charge of £757 for a van with significant private use. If private use of the van is insignificant, then no benefit will apply.
Since 6 April 2021, the van benefit charge has been reduced to zero for vans that produce zero carbon emissions.
There are circumstances where it can be possible to offer employees car benefits that are exempt from tax.
These include:
• Cars available for business journeys only
• Cars adapted for an employee with a disability
• ‘Pool’ cars
Christina Evans A.C.C.A.Assistant Manager
www.princeslhs.ltd
Rennet Works, 11 Market Street, Ellesmere, Shropshire, SY12 0AN 01691 624336 | renewables@princeslhs.ltd www.lowcarbonhomesystems.co.uk www.tesla-powerwall.co.uk
summer sleeping
Sometimes getting better sleep in Summer can be as simple as changing your sleeping position or even changing what you are sleeping in. Sleep experts recommend sleeping with your body stretched out as this helps you to release heat. This approach is really beneficial especially if you normally sleep curled up in a ball.
If you would like more help & support with sleep or sleep related products this Summer then visit the Newport Beds showroom as we have new pillows in stock & bedding such as Nightlark coverless duvets for all Your Sleep Matters plus lots of beds on offer should you wish to upgrade yours this summertime.
Maesbury Road, Oswestry, Shropshire SY10 8HA T: 01691 670367
*
*From 3 for £12 on a huge range of decorative aggregates buy online collection and delivery available
Open: Mon-Fri 7:00am-5:00pm, Sat 8:00am-12:00pm, Sun Closed
*On Poly Bags only.
Slate Dark Grey Mars Rust Sunset
Dust White Moon Travertine Limestone
Interiors
by Stephanie Dhillon
Pretty cottage
The homely look of cottage interiors can be achieved by anyone anywhere, even if you don’t live deep in the countryside or in a chocolate box cottage. Aim for traditional shapes for your bigger furniture items, then set about gathering a careful selection of art and antiques to give that built over time look. Deep seated armchairs or sofas invite you to slow down and relax, and look to soft shades of pink, blue and green to keep that pretty cottage vibe. Floral motifs were made for this setting; but also look for printed fabrics that evoke meadows and bucolic country scenes. Painted furniture can bring a more up to date modern feel, if painted in fun surprising colours, and plate walls are having a modern moment too. Here’s an appealing mix of examples to inspire a summery cottage style.
Top: Green Rustic Planter Ophelia £26.50 from The Wisteria Tree www.wisteriatree.co.uk
Above: Elkstone Mellow Oak Bureau £699 from Cotswold Company www.cotswoldco.com
Left: Marshmallow Fabric Snuggle Chair in Palermo Salmon £1449 from SCS www.scs.com
Below: Country Style Barn & Hill Wallpaper £75 by Bobbi Beck www.bobbibeck.com
Below: Meadow Green Daisy Patterned Cushion £40 from Claire Louise www.claire-louise.co.uk
Above: Candle Holder Eliot £22 from Bohemia Design Limited www.bohemiadesign.co.uk
Above: Jasmine William Morris Print £129 from the Cotswold Company wwwcotswoldco.com
Top right: Island Breeze Small Console Table £600 from The Painted Furniture Company www.paintedfurniture.co.uk
Above: Blue Linen Floral Drum Lampshade £60 from Helen Round www.helenround.com
Right: Windsor Cottage Garden 4 Salad Plates £31.50 from Wayfair www.wayfair.co.uk
Left: Oxford 1 Door 1 Drawer Bedside Ballroom Blue £430 from The Painted Furniture Company www.paintedfurnitureco.co.uk
Our services
• Tree removal
• sTorm damaged Trees
• Tree felling
• Tree pruning
• sTump grinding
• garden clearance
• hedge Trimming
• fencing
Swiss Strawberry & Walnut Cake
This light walnut sponge filled with strawberries and cream is often served on the Continent as a pudding, but it also makes the perfect afternoon teatime treat.
INGREDIENTS
• 3 large eggs
• 100g caster sugar
• 75g self-raising flour
Serves 8 | Preparation time 30 minutes | Cooking time 40-45 minutes
METHOD
• 50g walnuts, finely chopped
For the filling and topping
• 300ml pouring double cream, whipped
• 450g strawberries, roughly chopped, plus extra kept whole for decoration
Extracted from Mary Berry’s Baking Bible by Mary Berry (BBC Books, £28), a definitive baking collection, featuring 250 retested and updated foolproof classics plus 20 brand new recipes, along with Dame Mary’s tips. Photography by Ant Duncan.
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C / fan 160°C / gas mark 4. Grease a deep 20cm round cake tin, then line the base with non-stick baking paper.
2. Measure the eggs and sugar into a large bowl and beat until the mixture is thick and mousse-like, and leaves a trail when the whisk is lifted out of the mixture. Sift the flour onto the mixture and lightly fold in along with the chopped walnuts.
3. Turn into the prepared cake tin and level the surface. Bake in the preheated oven for about 40-45 minutes, or until well-risen and the top of the cake springs back when lightly pressed with a finger. Leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes then turn out, peel off the baking paper and finish cooling on a wire rack.
4. When cold, cut the cake into three horizontally using a serrated or bread knife, then sandwich the slices together with a good amount of whipped cream and strawberries. Spread the remaining cream over the top and the sides of the cake, and decorate with the reserved strawberries heaped on top.
MUMBAI AT HENLLE HEIGHTS
Nestling in beautiful woodland, Henlle Heights provides a beautiful area for our guests to relax, unwind and enjoy our freshly cooked food.
“Foodie heaven”, exclaims a fan of the Mumbai at Henlle Heights – a “great independent restaurant” that ticks all the boxes when it comes to excelling in flavours, taste, visual appeal, location, and service.”
Renowned Mumbai Chef Bharat Singh Rawat & Chef Craig Sutton create an exciting fusion of Indian, Indo-Chinese and British cuisine.
Bharat, previously created the Mumbai menu for national and international restaurants, he is now proud to be part of - Mumbai at Henlle Heights.
Bharat blends exotic spices with local and seasonal ingredients for varied and “unrivalled Indian dishes”
Chef Craig Sutton, enjoys sourcing local produce to create superb country style dishes with passion and flair.
The pairing of Chefs talents makes Henlle Heights totally unique and a ‘must go to.’
GUESTS QUOTES:
“Location, location, location, plus delicious food, perfect evening!”
“Nothing is too much trouble for the staff and the food is divine,”
LocaL food producers on the map
The Shropshire Good Food Trail is back and bigger than ever for summer 2024 with double the locations and a full six weeks of mouth-watering offers highlighting the good food grown, made, sold and served across the county.
The innovative food trail, which put Shropshire’s top quality food producers firmly on the map, is this year celebrating Shropshire’s abundance in the round-the-county foodie route.
The food trail will guide both local people and visitors to over 100 venues. Around 4,000 food trail maps are due to be distributed around the county.
The Shropshire Good Food Trail was launched last year by the Shropshire Good Food Partnership. The fun and informative map and guide originally featured more than 50 venues growing, making, selling or serving the county’s finest and most sustainably produced food.
Now the Shropshire Good Food Partnership has expanded the tasty trail to double the number of locations, increase the number of maps in circulation and has extended the event to take in the six weeks of the school summer holidays from Saturday 20 July to 31 August.
Ruth Martin of the Shropshire Good Food Partnership team said that the food trail aimed to highlight the many positives of buying good local produce.
“It supports the local economy, supports jobs and increases the amount of good food consumed. There are no downsides,” she said.
This year’s food trail will include markets to promote a vital part of Shropshire’s food economy and give an extra boost to the smaller scale local producers.
There will also be food trail events held across the county over the summer showcasing the delights of Shropshire food and farming and providing opportunities to connect
with nature and food production in Shropshire.
“The food trail aims to highlight smaller farms, shops and organisations that are great at producing but not great shouting about it. We want local people and visitors to veer off the beaten track this summer with our Shropshire Good Food Trail and discover new hidden gems around the county,” said Ruth Martin.
She added that the Shropshire Good Food Trail was a not-for-profit initiative to help increase awareness and support of the local food economy.
“Venues are not paying to be included on the map. This makes sure that all good food producers can be included on their merit with sponsors and donations helping to cover the costs,” she said.
She added that the Shropshire Good Food Partnership would be delighted to hear from anyone who would like to sponsor the Shropshire Good Food Trail or make a donation. Anyone interested can email hello@shropshiregoodfood.org.
She said people could also get
involved by following the Shropshire Good Food Trail on Facebook or Instagram (@shropshiregoodfood) or by visiting one or more of the venues to taste Shropshire’s abundance.
Maps will be available to collect from venues across the county or a copy can be downloaded at www.shropshiregoodfoodtrail.org.
A directory of all the growers, makers, sellers, and servers will be available at www. shropshiregoodfoodtrail.org/.
Further information on the food trail is available by visiting the website or by emailing hello@shropshiregoodfood.org.
The food trail is a Shropshire Good Food Partnership initiative to promote, support and encourage local Good Food in Shropshire.
The partnership was formed with a vision to create a local food system that is ‘good for people, place and planet’. It brings together Shropshire’s most switched-on food producers, retailers and consumers to make Shropshire’s food system more resilient, sustainable and fair.
Ruth Martin of the Shropshire Good Food Partnership with the original trail map and guide
A husband and wife team based just outside of Shrewsbury have been shaking up the way we host at home. If you love cooking, using top ingredients, and mastering new dishes, you will love what they have to offer.
The Host’s Pantry is run by Jess and Scott Woodland. A few years back, Scott was managing restaurants in London, where his obsession with recipes, good food and fine wine began. He came up with the idea of a luxury recipe box business that would make hosting at home simple. The ingredients would be carefully sourced from trusted suppliers, the recipes would be presented in a detailed guide geared to hosting at home, and everything would arrive in one neat package.
The Host’s Pantry was born. They curate seasonal menu choices, which can be explored on their website. You can order your box and later schedule the delivery when it suits you.
On the website, you can choose one of the two or three course curated recipe boxes or build your own box to choose each course, and select how many people you are feeding.
You will learn new techniques, get to cook with quality ingredients and enjoy having all the hassle of sourcing recipes and ingredients taken away.
New Online Food Hall
The Host’s Pantry has always offered the option of buying produce from the website when a recipe isn’t required. This summer they are expanding their offering with the launch of an online food hall. You will be able to order locally and internationally sourced ingredients, deli items, fresh meat and produce, hampers, and drinks to be delivered to your door, with more on offer than you would find at a local farm shop.
Think of them as an extension of your pantry. As long as you order by 12pm on Wednesday, you can receive the delivery as early as the following day ready for your weekend plans.
Much of the produce is suitable for freezing, meaning you can stock up for the month ahead.
Produce on offer includes their Galician prime rib, which is counted as one of the four best beef cuts in the world. It is sourced from Northern Spain where the cows are free to roam for longer, which develops a higher fat content providing exceptional flavour and beautiful marbling. Nicknamed ‘Spanish Wagyu’ it is used in top restaurants across Europe, and you can have it delivered to your door!
Gifting
The Host’s Pantry can also be used for gifts. You gift their curated recipe boxes or choose one of their hampers or gift vouchers. For example, you could gift a luxury steak and chips box, a Shropshire cheese board, or a steak and wine hamper.
Order now
Head to hostspantry.com to select a recipe box, explore the produce on offer and the gift options. Look out for their newly launched BBQ boxes which bring together premium meats, perfect for enjoying a summer’s day with loved ones.
SWAN HOTEL
TAp HOuSE | diNiNg | rOOmS
The Swan Hotel stands proud on Eccleshall Road just 4 minutes from Newport town centre. The Swan is a beautiful Georgian building with the hotel accommodation being fully refurbished in 2021. Our selection of ensuite rooms are perfect for weddings, events, a treat whilst travelling for business or a weekend away with the family.
We pride ourselves on using as much locally sourced meat and produce as possible by using local suppliers. Our meat comes from Buttercross farm in Market Drayton, pies from Shropshire and of course Joules ales and lager from Market Drayton.
Eccleshall Road Newport Shropshire TF10 8BY
Tel: 01952 820446
Email: swanatforton@outlook.com
Facebook @swanatforton
#supportlocal #swanhotelforton
Looking for something cool but cute for the little ones? The summer sets are out so get down to the shops to bag a holiday set for the kids.
▼ Navy Cork Sandals £7, www.primark.com
▼ ▼ Print Shorts £13.50, or with shirt as part of a set £16 (from 6 yrs), www.marksandspencer.com
▲ Tropical Shirt £6, Stone Chino Shorts £6, www.primark.com
Trousers £16 and ▲ Top £14. (from 6 yrs), www.marksandspencer.com
▼ Tan Sandals £7, www.primark.com
▲ Sienna Cami & Short Set £24 (from 3 yrs), www.fatface.com
Harry learns about the study of women
Harry walked home from school – not unusual – but the house was dark and quiet – that was unusual. “Mum” he shouted but no answer. He went upstairs and noticed his parents’ bedroom door was open, and dark. He crept in quietly. “Hello Harry,” his Mum wearily said. “I’m not very well today, your dad will get tea.” She rolled back over. Dad did get tea: well, sort of, if you can count beans on toast. He was not much of a cook really. “What is wrong with Mum?” asked Harry. “She is having a really heavy period with pain so is just resting tonight, it’s being going on a few months but has got worse this time,” replied his dad. His Dad did not seem to want to discuss this further.
Harry knew next to nothing about periods – he knew girls had one every month and what it sort of involved but this seemed more than that. He found a site on the web about “gynaecology” which was Greek for the study of women. It never occurred to him that mums and dads got different illnesses. His Mum never stayed in bed: this was worrying him. The next day she was up again but looking a bit pale. “Are you okay now Mum?” asked Harry.
through their clothes. All of these warranted a doctor’s appointment. There could be quite a lot of pain too he read. Harry’s Mum was a bit non-plussed by a teenage son who seemed to know more about her heavy periods than she did! She realised it all came from a worry about her. “I’ve done some googling too,” she said, ”and mine is on the nhs.uk site so I trust the information. I’ve probably got a thing called AUB or DUB and it should be easily dealt with, particularly as I am still quite young.” Harry was a bit surprised that 42 was young but said nothing!
It never occurred to him that mums and dads got different illnesses. His Mum never stayed in bed: this was worrying him.
“Mostly” she replied, “but I am going to see a doctor next week,” she continued. “You are worrying me a bit,” said Harry. “I’ve looked up menorrhagia,” he continued, much to his Mum’s surprise. Harry thought using the right word, even if he pronounced it wrongly, would seem more grown-up. Harry had found out that many women didn’t know how much blood they lost which was sort of scary. They could lose clots bigger than 10p pieces, need to change pads every hour, need to use what was called double protection and even flood
The GP examined his Mum, arranged a blood test and then apparently gave her the options of a referral for more tests or treatment straight away. As she was under 45 and the examination was normal the treatment option first was possible. The treatment involved either some tablets she could take at the time of the period or what was called an “intrauterine system”. Harry read this involved a device containing medication inserted into the uterus at the surgery. That sounded really uncomfortable although his Mum said it wasn’t too bad after all. Harry has made a note on his phone for the months ahead and was pleased to see Mum up and about.
Harry was reading on the site his Mum had mentioned and found out about a thing called the menopause, Greek (again!) for the end of monthly cycles. He read that periods often went a bit heavy before the menopause but then they stopped. However, they stopped because the ovaries ceased their cycle and then that could then mean a whole lot more symptoms. Still the average age for all this was 45-55 so he hoped his Mum had a while to go before he needed to learn a bit more gynaecology!
Moreton Hall School Celebrates 110 Years with Unique Promenade Performance
Moreton Hall School is proudly celebrating its 110-year history through a promenade piece of theatre taking place on Friday 5 July, that aims to highlight some of the school’s pivotal moments and influential figures throughout its vibrant and steeped past.
Set in the picturesque area of Weston Rhyn, surrounded by hundreds of acres of lush parkland, Moreton Hall’s current grandeur belies its humble beginnings.
Founded by the Ellen LloydWilliams, wife of John LloydWilliams, a former headmaster of Oswestry School, Moreton Hall began in the heart of Oswestry with just thirteen pupils.
Speaking about the significance of the upcoming event, Principal Michael Brewer said: “Our Promenade performance offers a unique opportunity for our community to come together to celebrate the school’s vibrant history. Audiences will enjoy watching dramatisations of pivotal moments throughout the school’s legacy.
Michael Jenkins, Director and Producer of the performance and Head of Drama, said: “The talent on offer at Moreton is exceptional, from the pupils through to the teachers and support staff. It has been thrilling watching the community work together in the planning and rehearsals of this special event.
“This performance is like nothing we’ve ever done before. The audience can expect to be surprised by many of the elements, from the historically inspired and charming script to the visiting artists, many of whom are taking time out of their West End contracts to join us. And if that isn’t enough, the performance begins with a ride on a carousel or Ferris wheel, because, well, why not?”
The celebratory performance will feature not only Moreton Hall’s talented pupils but also a string of professional actors and performers from diverse backgrounds
“The school’s site is extremely special and stands as a testament to the outstanding leadership and forward-thinking of Mrs LloydWilliams. Showcasing it in this way seems extremely fitting. I know that our pupils will, once again, put on a memorable performance, leaving the audience with a lasting impression of how remarkable this school is.”
The celebratory performance will feature not only Moreton Hall’s talented pupils but also a string of professional actors and performers from diverse backgrounds.
Hattie Maddocks, Head Girl, added: “We are all incredibly excited to put down our books and get involved in this exciting performance that showcases Moreton Hall’s love for the arts and community. During my time here, I have been involved in so many performances and have loved every one of them. This event is particularly special as it allows us to celebrate our school’s rich history in such a creative way.”
The evening will conclude with a supper provided by the school’s onsite catering team, accompanied by live music from The Wandering Wings, ensuring a memorable end to the celebration.
This one-off theatrical performance is open to all, inviting not just those connected to the school but the entire community to join in the festivities. To book your tickets, visit: www.moretonhall.org/ promenade or call 01691 773671.
I would recommend the course to others, mainly because no one is left behind due to the class sizes being kept small, so everyone gets good help from the teacher.
- Chris (Plumbing)
Your Career Starts Here!
Apply
now to North Shropshire College
Home to an array of academic disciplines, North Shropshire College prides itself on its ability to cater to the needs of all. Whether you are looking to improve your skills or learn a new trade, the extensive choice of qualifications makes it easier than ever to excel at your chosen subject. We understand that everyone experiences different paths in life and believe that education should be available to all, and hence, we offer the opportunity to study full-time or part-time with different entry levels to suit all academic abilities. From Plumbing and Beauty to Uniformed Public Services, Business and Electrical Installation to Travel & Tourism, we have a course for you!
If earning whilst you learn is an important factor for you, North Shropshire College offers a wealth of apprenticeship courses, including health & social care, hairdressing & barbering, teaching support, customer service, IT and more. Level 2 certificate courses are available to study via distance learning (online) and we also offer free, government-funded courses for adults including Level 3 qualifications and courses to improve your maths and numeracy. The College offers low-cost short courses for adults (19 years+) too which can be perfect for trying out something new or learning more about a hobby you enjoy, while meeting new people.
Most recently, North Shropshire College has introduced a Higher Technical Qualification (HTQ) for Community Coaching. This course will equip students with the community coaching skills, knowledge and understanding gained through research, independent study, directed study and workplace scenarios, providing students with an understanding of culturally diverse organisations, cross-cultural issues, diversity and values. The awarding body has worked closely with the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical
Activity (CIMSPA) in developing this programme, laying the foundations of learning by providing a specialised introduction to coaching in the UK landscape and different coaching functions. HTQs are designed by employers with the intention to provide students with an alternative to apprenticeships or degrees, putting a strong focus upon practical skills and knowledge acquisition, widening North Shropshire College’s offerings.
Studies are carried out within state-of-the-art facilities at North Shropshire College including Scholars, a professional teaching industry standard kitchen and restaurant, and Salon QB, a dedicated hair and beauty salon. Additionally, a recent investment of £2million has introduced contemporary plumbing, and electrical workshops, science labs and updated salon facilities.
If you have an interest in hair and beaty therapy, Salon QB features two fully equipped beauty salons with 26 individual hair styling bays, full barbering facilities, 16 individual beds, steam and sauna facilities, and nail bar facilities. Salon QB enables the students of North Shropshire College to become professionals covering all aspects of beauty therapy including holistics, Hopi ear candles, body wrap, roller waxing, ear piercing, extensions, colouring and much more.
North Shropshire College is a relatively small college, allowing us to support every student to achieve their personal best: we treat you as an individual, not a number. We know many young people living in our rural community face long daily journeys and have structured our timetables with this in mind. You’ll have free half-days and, in most cases, a free day every week, allowing you time to study at home, pursue sporting or other extra-curricular activities or possibly even take up a part-time job. If you are looking for a course that can be flexible to suit your needs whilst still providing you with industry standard skills, then head over to HLNSC.ac.uk where you can apply to a course, find out more or get in touch and start your career with us today.
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Weekly Boarding: Home From Home
If you’re looking for an alternative to fullboarding options, maybe it’s time to consider the increasingly popular idea of weekly boarding – a helpful, cost-friendly bridge between the world of a day pupil and that of a full-boarder.
These days, you want to know that your child is gaining a consistent, high-quality education, regardless of the external environment.
While you know this is crucial for their personal development and educational journey, your choice can also depend on the school’s distance away from you and whether having your child permanently away from home during term-time is the right choice for them, or for you.
When looking at independent school options, many families aren’t familiar with the idea of weekly boarding. This offers parents a much broader choice for their child, as they board during the week and return home at the weekends. Schools which were once considered to be too far away are now within reach. The school commute through the week is eliminated, freeing up more time for your other responsibilities and leaving the drive to and from school for a Friday and a Sunday.
Flexibility is Key
Benefits of Weekly Boarding
“Many students develop greater self-esteem, feel better prepared for the next stage in their lives and gain the tenacity to deal with the challenges of leaving the nest. Ultimately, weekly boarding is an option from which many parents, students and staff have reaped the benefits.”
Weekly boarding gives children the opportunity to take advantage of a wide range of support, available both in and out of the classroom. They have the opportunity to develop bonds with students from many other backgrounds and nationalities and learn about their cultures. Boarders grow and learn within larger friendship groups, share experiences together and form life-long friendships. They are provided the opportunity to take on roles of responsibility, such as Head of House and learn to become more selfsufficient, whilst developing the skills to work together as a team. Here at Ellesmere College, all this is done under the watchful eye of Housemasters and Housemistresses, with the support of a 24/7 sick bay and the nurture of Housemothers.
Weekly boarding is the next logical step for many students, as they look to develop their independency and focus their time and energies on their academic and co-curricular commitments. Without the tedium of travel, they have the autonomy to make the most of their time, in the way that matters most to them.
This move also provides you with a helpinghand, giving you the flexibility to successfully manage your own work and personal commitments. When nearing the end of their school journey, the step of moving to University or away from home is an easier one for both parent and child, as they know they have the confidence and self-reliance to thrive.
Many students develop greater self-esteem, feel better prepared for the next stage in their lives and gain the tenacity to deal with the challenges of leaving the nest. Ultimately, weekly boarding is an option from which many parents, students and staff have reaped the benefits.
Above all… Boarding is Fun!
Both weekly and full-boarders have great fun, they can spend the evenings with their best friends and enjoy a wide range of exciting and meaningful activities on offer. This evening-time enrichment includes co-curricular activities, such as sport, music and drama. There are also house activities, guest speakers and academic twilight sessionssomething for everyone.
For more information on the types of boarding available for your child at Ellesmere College, please call 01691 626 510 or email registrar@ellesmere.com.
Musculoskeletal Orthoses To keep you moving
We provide top quality orthoses to help keep you moving in less pain. You will receive a thorough assessment to ensure you have the best orthotic prescription for conditions such as: Plantar fasciitis, Metatarsalgia, Mortons Neuroma, Knee Osteo-Arthritis (OA), Knee ligament injuries, Leg length discrepancies and more.
Orthoses offered: Functional Foot Orthoses (FFOs) Ankle supports OA Offloading Knee Braces Ligament Knee Braces
Neuromuscular Orthoses For improving your life
Expert Orthotic treatment provided for a wide range of neuromuscular conditions including: Spina Bifida, Cerebral Palsy, Spinal cord injury, Muscular dystrophy, Chacot Marie Tooth (CMT). We provide expert assessment and provision of Ankle Foot Orthoses (AFOs), Knee Ankle Foot Orthoses (KAFOs) and Contracture Correction Devices (CCDs) to help manage these conditions.
Accommodative Footwear
Our Orthotists have years of experience providing bespoke made to measure footwear. We only use expertly hand crafted footwear manufacturers to ensure you get the perfect fit.
Pain-Free Feet, Better Balance, Stronger You
Suffering with pain in your legs or feet can be so debilitating. Taking a daily walk or exercising is the key to helping us stay young, and with the beautiful scenery around Oswestry, you don’t have to walk far to see the luscious greenery of fields and hills. But, what if you’ve been feeling pain in your feet not long into your walks? You invested in your shoes which are designed with cushioning to support your knees and feet, but for some reason you’re finding yourself cutting exercise short because you can’t get through the pain and discomfort.
Well, you’re not alone. There are any number of stresses and strains we put on our legs, knees and feet on a daily basis and if you have an injury, a condition or if it’s just wear and tear, there’s no getting away from pain that can impact your daily life.
Around 10 million people in the UK suffer from Arthritis. Imagine the joy of spending time with your grandchildren without wincing every time you need to pick up the ball. Or how about being able to get in and out of your favourite chair with ease, instead of enduring the searing pain every time you put weight on your dodgy knee.
Mobility issues can affect all ages, so recognising when you should seek the help of an expert is the key to pain management and recovery after injury.
Seeking the help of an orthotist will help you find the best solution for your pain and problem area. Orthotics are designed to relieve pain in the feet, knees, legs and other areas, especially after surgery, injury and with musculoskeletal and neuromuscular conditions.
Woods Orthotics are specialists based in Oswestry and the only dedicated private orthotic clinic in Shropshire and north Wales. Happy to help you with your journey back to a pain free life, co-owners Ffion and Tom are both state registered Orthotists and will assess, prescribe and fit a wide variety of orthoses (braces for the body or supportive devices)
Getting to the root of your problem is key, so a detailed biomechanical assessment using the latest technology is used. Because of Ffion and Tom’s background, having worked for the NHS and the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital, they now manufacture foot orthotics themselves. They use the best suppliers and manufacturers for orthoses.
What our clients say:
“I went to see Tom for a professional fitting of my... brace[s] and I was very impressed. He is very experienced and took the time to listen to where I had pain and how it was preventing me from my passion for running. Within 3 months of steadily building up my short distances I felt able to return to the running community. It is now 7 months since that first race back in December and I have run at least 9 races this year. I would recommend Tom without any hesitation.” - Allan
“I was referred to Tom and Ffion by a private consultant based in Gobowen hospital, to have a brace made for my lower leg as my tibia and fibula were at risk of fracture following an operation. I had a bespoke brace made of my lower leg which is really comfortable to wear and allows me to live a pretty normal existence, which was very difficult prior to the brace. They were both very friendly and professional - nothing was too much effort.” – Paul
To book your appointment, call 01691 592 156 or visit www.woodsorthotics.com for online booking. Self-referrals accepted.
Alongside
Tired of nagging aches or an old injury limiting you? Ready to enjoy walking, sports and life again? Movement coaching can help. Regain range of motion, prevent injury, build strength and boost wellbeing - no matter your age or ability.
“ I started seeing Andrew due to experiencing lower back pain. After just a handful of sessions, I’m already feeling the benefits of his experience” - Jane S.
Don’t live with pain, contact Andrew today for a consultation. 07973 407 606 andrew@resilientbeings.co.uk www.resilientbeings.co.uk
Take advantage of a helping hand with a move to a new Churchill apartment in Ludlow or Bridgnorth
Anew apartment at one of Churchill’s stunning developments in the local area, such as Mortimer Lodge in Bridgnorth or Betjeman Lodge in Ludlow o ers freedom, security and independence.
You can relax and enjoy a whole new lifestyle in your brand new, low maintenance apartment, and there is plenty of help on o er to help you get there.
Don’t miss out as there is only one fully furnished apartment remaining in Betjeman Ludlow priced at £199,950.
As well as a beautiful new apartment, Churchill’s friendly team can o er an Entitlements Service, which
provides practical advice on claiming the Government’s Attendance Allowance benefit, available to many older people to assist with the day-to-day cost of living.
Every year millions of pounds goes unclaimed by the over 60s, who often think they will not be eligible to claim the Attendance Allowance benefit, or are unaware that it is not means tested. Churchill’s team can help you understand what you could be eligible for, and even help with filling in the necessary application to improve the chance of success.
Each Churchill apartment is specially designed to
give over 60s the freedom to enjoy an active and independent lifestyle. Those who move in will have the benefits of a communal Owners’ Lounge, a Guest Suite, a 24 hour emergency call alarm service, and a friendly Lodge Manager to oversee things.
If the thought of downsizing feels overwhelming don’t worry, Churchill can also o er a helping hand every step of the way. Its range of moving packages includes a Move for Free service, (for T&Cs visit churchillretirement.co.uk).
To fi nd out more about moving to a new Churchill apartment near you, call 0800 084 1150 or visit churchillretirement.co.uk.
Betjeman Lodge, Ludlow
Mortimer Lodge, Bridgnorth
You have several choices regarding taking money out of your workplace or personal pension. This includes taking cash as a lump sum or drawing a regular income. This latter option, known as income drawdown or pension drawdown, brings more flexibility but also more risk.
PENSION DRAWDOWN
Most people will be in a ‘defined contribution’ scheme (we are not covering ‘defined benefit’ schemes – also known as ‘final salary’ – in our tips here). This takes the money you and your employers put into the scheme and invests it, producing a pot of money called a pension fund. You choose how to use this fund.
ANNUITY
The traditional approach is to use your pension fund to buy an annuity. An annuity will pay you a fixed sum until you die, with that amount dependent on your health and age. The cost of annuities and payments from them haven’t offered best value in recent years, sparking an interest in other options.
DRAWDOWN
That’s where pension drawdown comes in. Put simply, you take some of the money out of the pension fund and leave the remainder of the fund invested to (all being well) continue growing.
You can take up to 25% of your pension fund as a lump-sum payment, which will be tax-free. Alternatively, you can take a regular income from the fund, with 25% of each payment tax-free and the rest counting towards your taxable income.
The main advantages of pension drawdown are increased flexibility and a potentially bigger income than you’d get from an annuity. The main disadvantage is that your pension fund could run dry before you die, leaving you reliant on just the state pension.
Remember also that any money left in the pension fund remains subject to investment performance. Ideally it will grow, perhaps even by enough to cover the money you take out, but it’s possible the fund will decline.
DRAWDOWN CONDITIONS
You can use pension drawdown from age 55 (rising to 57 in 2028), even if you are still working and still contributing to the pension. You’ll need to watch out for rules against ‘pension recycling’, which is intentionally taking money out of a pension fund and then putting it back in to try to get tax benefits.
Once you take any money out of a pension fund, your future tax-free contributions (including those from your employer) are capped at £10,000 a year. If you pay in any more than this, the money will count as part of your taxable income.
Not all pension providers offer a pension drawdown option, but you can switch your pension fund to one that does. Most providers who offer pension drawdown can offer advice and managed options to help you achieve specific goals. Remember that while you still have a pension fund open, you’ll need to pay management charges.
You should always take expert advice before making any pension decisions. One good option is a free Pension Wise review from MoneyHelper, an independent government-backed organisation.
Anna Williams from Lingen Davies and Jenna of Jenna Blair yoga
Oxbow Manor care home, Shrewsbury
Veterans breakfast club
Third Wednesday of each month, from 10.30am
Join us for a delicious breakfast in our café, meet members of your local community who have served, or are serving, in the Armed Forces and learn more about how the team at Oxbow Manor could support you.
Carers café
Last Wednesday of each month, 2pm - 4pm Join us at Oxbow Manor for our carers café! Enjoy coffee and cake whilst gaining much-needed support from our friendly team and meeting like-minded members of the community.
We work closely with the Dementia Link Team and Admiral Nurses, who are always on-hand to offer advice and support on caring for an older loved one.
£165,000
New Innovative Tecar Therapy for Relieving Chronic Joint Pain
By Scott Gormley, Shropshire Physiotherapy
Understanding chronic joint pain
Chronic joint pain can be debilitating, affecting one’s daily life and mobility. It can result from various conditions such as osteoarthritis, ligament injuries, or overuse. Individuals suffering from chronic joint pain often seek alternative treatment options beyond medications or surgery to manage their symptoms effectively.
The role of Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy plays a crucial role in addressing chronic joint pain by focusing on rehabilitating the affected area through targeted exercises and therapeutic modalities. One innovative approach gaining popularity in the physiotherapy field is Tecar therapy. Shropshire Physiotherapy have invested in state-of-the-art technology to bring this service to Newport, Shropshire.
What is Tecar Therapy?
Although we call this new technology it’s actually been around over 10 years. Tecar therapy, also known as Capacitive and Resistive Energy Transfer therapy, is a cutting-edge treatment that utilizes radio frequency energy to stimulate the body’s natural healing processes. By promoting circulation and reducing
inflammation, Tecar therapy helps alleviate pain and improve tissue regeneration in the affected joint.
How it Works for Chronic Joint Pain
During a session, a therapist applies a specialised device to the skin’s surface, delivering controlled radio frequency energy deep into the tissues. This energy transfer accelerates cellular metabolism, leading to improved circulation and tissue repair. As a result, patients experience reduced pain, increased range of motion, and faster recovery from chronic joint pain.
Benefits of Tecar Therapy
Tecar therapy offers several advantages for individuals suffering from chronic joint pain. By targeting the root cause of pain and promoting natural healing mechanisms, it provides long-lasting relief without the side effects associated with medications. Additionally, sessions are noninvasive, painless, and require minimal downtime, making it a convenient option for those seeking effective pain management solutions.
· Pain Relief: It effectively targets pain at its source, providing rapid and lasting relief.
· Improved Mobility: By reducing inflammation and promoting tissue regeneration, it enhances joint flexibility and range of motion.
· Accelerated Healing: The regenerative properties speed up the body’s natural healing processes, helping patients recover faster.
· Non-Invasive: Unlike surgical interventions, it’s a non-invasive treatment option with minimal risks and side effects.
Is it right for you?
If you’re struggling with chronic joint pain and seeking a non-invasive, drug-free solution, tecar therapy may be the answer you’ve been looking for. Consult with a qualified physiotherapist to discuss your symptoms, assess your condition, and determine the most suitable treatment plan for your unique needs.
Sojourning in Sorrento
Travel
Sorrento is a sun-soaked slice of paradise, where lemon-bearing trees and pastel-painted buildings meet turquoise waters framed by mountains.
With the likes of Pompeii, Capri and the Amalfi Coast all within easy reach, Sorrento is the perfect base for a holiday that can be as relaxing or active as you like. Here are just a handful of the best things to do in and around the town.
Stroll through Piazza Tasso
Piazza Tasso is the beating heart of Sorrento. This ‘Old Town’ is a treat for the senses: shop for souvenirs with the sun on your back and the smell of fresh lemons in the air, before soaking up the ambience from a pavement café, gelato in hand.
Cruise along the Amalfi Coast
There are a few ways to explore the Amalfi Coast. While the buses are often crowded and driving the twisted roads is not for the faint-hearted, booking a boat trip will allow you to enjoy the precipitous crags, cliff-clinging hotels and hidden coves –completely stress-free.
Many boat trips will include stops at the towns of Amalfi and Positano, where you can take a dip in the turquoise waters for one of the most scenic swims in the world.
Spend a day in Capri
A favourite haunt for celebrities and the super-rich, Capri is a mind-blowingly beautiful island off the coast of Sorrento.
It takes luxury very seriously, with no shortage of expensive restaurants and boutiques to splash
your cash. However, Capri is much more than a shopping haven: soak up the views from the Monte Solaro chairlift, walk the cove-studded coastline or visit the Blue Grotto – a dark cavern where the sea glows electric blue.
Discover Pompeii
You can’t visit Sorrento without taking a day to explore the nearby ancient city of Pompeii. Simultaneously destroyed and preserved by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79, it remains a remarkable example of how the Romans once lived and a dark reminder of the destructive forces of Mother Nature. Walk down Roman streets and explore millennia-old houses, temples, shops, cafes, amphitheatres – and even a brothel.
Climb up Mount Vesuvius
Towering over the Bay of Naples, Vesuvius remains one of the world’s most carefully monitored volcanoes. Having erupted more than 30 times since its infamous explosion in AD 79, the volcano was believed to have once been much taller than its current height (1,281m).
You can take a coach trip to the top from Sorrento or from Pompeii, where you’ll be dropped off and invited to climb the final 30-minute trek to the crater.
Explore on foot
Some of the best sights in Sorrento can be seen by lacing up your walking boots and exploring on foot. There are numerous walking trails leaving from the centre, taking you through lush greenery, gorgeous lemon groves and quaint Italian villages.
One of the most popular walks is the 40-minute trip to Bagni Regina Giovanna, home to a hidden swimming spot and an ancient Roman villa dating back to the first century BC.
all our locations and to discuss your ideas with our designers. We are now taking orders from February onwards and to celebrate another fantastic year we are offering a 10% DISCOUNT across our products on orders placed between 31 January and 29 February. Contact one of our showrooms now to arrange your appointment.
